


I Put a Spell on You (Because You're Mine)

by exilefromlife



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Alternative Universe - Modern Fantasy, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Beka needs help, Familiars, JJ's actually the smart one, Kissing, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Slow Burn, Witches, emotionally constipated idiots, familiar!JJ, familiar!Yuri, witch!Beka
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-06 18:47:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12216756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exilefromlife/pseuds/exilefromlife
Summary: After the fall of the USSR, someone could count the number of living witches in Kazakhstan on one hand. So when Otabek Altin was born with powers that developed over time, he had to flee and hide how closely Magic kept him to its chest. Magic had other plans for the witch, and he finds himself suddenly bound to a familiar.





	1. Why Me?

**Author's Note:**

> The witch!AU no one asked for.
> 
> NOTE: If you hover over any phrases that are not in English, the translation will be the hover text.
> 
> Inspired by [this](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/post/164513212892/) artwork by [macherpuppy](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://findyouranchorpoint.tumblr.com/)!

In early human history, Magic was everywhere. It was in the discovery of new shelters, the creation of fire, the first lunar eclipse witnessed. The belief of early man in the Magic of the wilds gave the first true Magic a foothold where it had none before. Magic fed on faith like a starving thing, filling any void it could. As mankind developed, so too did Magic. Science lent itself to giving Magic more power, despite evidence to being anything but. Magic took science and molded it to its will, shaping it and borrowing the power of logic and reason. In return, it gave itself to mankind.

No one knows who the first to wield Magic was, but it was first documented during the Crusades. Thereafter, it grew in the bloodlines of any number of people. Eventually, the world was full of witches. Some countries, especially those with any tribal background, became accepting of the witches. Others were accepting at first, but the bloodlines thinned and witches became so rare that those who were born were ostracized at best, though many were outright murdered for their abilities.

Kazakhstan was one of those countries. Prior to being part of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan was proud of its witches. After the fall of the USSR, someone could count the number of living witches on one hand. So when Otabek Altin was born with powers that developed over time, his family didn't know how to react.

When his twelfth birthday came, he was taken into the wilds by his closest friends and beaten. Magic, despite being weak in the region, reared its head and fought back with every ounce of its being. Otabek survived because his magic obliterated those who sought to kill him, and he fled.

And he hid how closely Magic kept him to its chest.

-

Otabek Altin keeps to himself like a good witch should. He has a cabin in the woods of British Columbia, his own garden, more mortars and pestles than any apothecary in the country, and, at the moment, a burned finger, ten scratches, a bruise on his shoulder, and a very annoying splinter in the meat of his thumb. He glares down at the potion he is making for a woman in the nearby town. If it was for a frivolous cause, he would have marched right back and told her to fuck off and hire someone with fewer standards. However, Gladys is a lovely woman in her 90s and the potion is the only thing that works on her arthritis. 

She also owns the one coffee shop in town and gives him freshly roasted beans for half price. Gladys is to be revered and Otabek would prefer to die making that potion than tell her to find someone else. He needs his coffee. He will die without his coffee.

Though, he thinks, looking down at the pot, it might be a better fate than this fucking potion. 

He is about to put in the strawberry leaves when he hears a light tap on his door. Otabek frowns as he looks at the color of the potion and turns down the heat so he can answer the door. The tap sounds like one of the children and he loves those little assholes. They keep coming up with new tricks to trap the damned gopher in his garden. The most recent one had actually worked and he owes them a minute of his time at least.

When he opens the door, however, there aren't any children waiting. Instead there is a raven on his railing, looking expectantly up at him. He looks around for any others and sighs at the lone bird.

"Hello. I'm working, raven. Leave me be." It is a habit of all of the witches he'd met to talk to any animal that shows up at the door. Common courtesy will get a witch much farther than being a dick to the wildlife. Otabek has the scars to prove it. "You can stay on my porch if you'd like."

He closes the door and starts to turn back to his potion when another tap sounds. He rolls his eyes and opens the door again. The raven squawks at him this time and he just closes it again. The bird has his courtesy, he isn't required to give more. He ignores the next tap so he can work on the delicate potion until it is set to simmer for a good hour. 

Now he has to deal with the bird. A raven was a good sign, but he wants to shoo it away before he gets distracted and burns something else. He yanks open the door. 

"Look, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're going to make me burn--ow!" The raven pecks his arm, squawking again. Otabek is going to shove the stupid bird off the porch until he hears the solid note of panic in its cries. That's when he opens the door wider and sees the second wing, bent at an awkward angle and limp at its side. "Oh! Oh no!"

Ravens are a great sign for a witch, but a dead raven is a sign of Magic abandoning a witch. No way in hell is he going to let the injured bird die on his property. "Alright, I'm going to pick you up, okay? Please don't peck at me while I tend to you."

The raven gives him a look, as if to say "no shit," and lets him pick it up without issue. The uninjured wing tucks itself neatly against the raven's back as the witch moves him into the cabin, muttering a small phrase as they cross the threshold. He can feel the short-lived heat resulting from the protection spell being disarmed as they move through its influence, but he is more concerned with which spells he will use for the healing.

Otabek sets the raven down on the table. "Stay there. I'll be right back." 

The Kazakh is relieved that his flowers had bloomed recently, just entering their most powerful stage of growth. He takes a moment to consider the combination of flowers he will need and sets to work picking them. When he returns to the kitchen, the raven is using his beak to hold and move the spoon of the potion he'd been working on. 

"Hey!"

The raven drops the spoon into the pot and squawks before hopping over to where Otabek had originally left him. He glares at the bird as he gathers his tools and drags a stool over to the side of the table. " I'm going to make a poultice to help me channel. Don't fuck with anything while I prepare it or your beak'll fall off."

The raven emits another squawk, this one indignant, and watches as Otabek begins working. He hisses as the raven tapped the mortar and sighs.

"It helps me crush the petals. This is some meadowsweet--it, along with the lavender and jasmine, is going to help reduce any swelling--and some yarrow, which will help clean the break and improve the circulation to the area." He can't help but explain his actions, not with the raven seeming to understand him. The mixture of flowers is crushed after he adds eucalyptus oil--and he makes a mental note to get more--before he adds more flowers. "And these are African violets, which serve as a conduit for my spell. Now, hold still, this is going to hurt like hell."

The pale purple mixture goes on the raven's broken wing with a little difficulty as it is the consistency of thick honey. The bird makes pitiful sounds throughout the process and again when Otabek wraps it in bandages. When he is satisfied, he stands.

"I'm going to get some things so you can sleep after the spell. It's going to be draining for both of us and I don't want you undoing all of my hard work." The raven just stares at him before he turns around and goes to the linen closet to get two of his comforters that can hold up to a sizable bird's movements. After he arranges them in a makeshift nest on the couch closest to the fireplace, he returns to the raven's side.

There is a spark of intelligence behind those black eyes that makes Otabek shiver. Some animals are blessed with magic, and can be of aid to any witch they befriend, or the death of any witch who crosses them. He doesn't like the idea of the latter, and if the healing spell goes wrong, he might as well find a different place to live. However, if the spell goes wrong, the witch has got more to worry about than a raven haunting his territory. Either way, the sheer amount of power required for any healing means he’s going to feel this in the morning.

He reaches over to set his hands on the broken wing gently, one on either side of the break. "This is going to be very uncomfortable and I'm very sorry about that. Just please don't be mad at me tomorrow, okay?" Otabek takes deep breath and closes his eyes. 

The bright flare of his magic calls to him in his mind's eye and he draws upon it easily. He can feel the heat beneath his palms as the spell takes hold and the power at his fingertips makes his bones creak and muscles cramp. For a moment, he thinks he’s used too much of that power and braces himself for the reverberation of power surging from the very world beneath his feet. He braces, but nothing comes.

When the Kazakh opens his eyes, he sees the raven panting from the power. It takes him a couple of tries to speak, releasing the wing. "I know it doesn't feel good right now, but tomorrow is going to be much better. I'm going to put you in the nest and you can sleep once you're settled."

The bird turns its head to look at its wing, not moving the injured limb while it does so. It turns back to Otabek and leans against his hands with a quiet squawk. The witch smiles softly and carefully takes hold of the raven and moves it to the makeshift nest. Once released, the bird settles down and is out as soon as it gets comfortable.

The dark-haired witch strokes the black feathers for a moment before the backlash of his power hits him light a freight train, and he collapses onto one knee, right hand clutching his heart as he struggles to breathe. The world tilts as he falls to his side and convulses for several long minutes, helpless against the flip side to his power.

When the backlash ends, he welcomes the darkness that floods his vision.

-

Sunlight shining on his face and the smell of coffee wake him abruptly. Otabek jerks upright from his bed, gasping. He looks around, trying to find his bearings. There's a light breeze coming in from the open window to his left, moving the light curtains and cooling his overheated skin. One of his favorite satchels of herbs is sitting on the small brazier next to the window, filling the room with a scent that he's long since associated with calm and home. 

Otabek strips off his sweat-soaked shirt, tossing it to the side carelessly. That's when he notices that a change of clothes is sitting on his dresser, carefully folded and placed away from the shrine gracing its surface. A freshly buffed pair of his boots is sitting neatly on the floor next to the doorway, and that's when he realizes that he's not alone.

The smell of coffee was the first hint, but his boots are hardly ever that clean and that's the fact that pulls him to his feet and out of his bedroom with no thought to the throbbing in his head. He stops halfway down the hallway, leaning heavily against the wall and waiting for the wave of dizziness to pass. When he manages to move again, he gets to the kitchen and freezes.

A man, taller than him and clothed in a gray linen shirt and black pants, is puttering about in his kitchen. He has dark hair, styled in an undercut much like Otabek's own, and tan skin. At his waist is a small bundle of raven feathers tied with a red leather cord. Bundled with them is a silver pin with a Mark adorning one end. The reality of what the Mark means and what the man is hits him like another backlash.

"Shifter." He barely breathes the word, but the man turns towards the sound, gray eyes shining in the morning light.

"Very much so. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your potion is fucked....good idea, getting an enchanted pot that cools when empty. Still took me ages to clean that mess." The man gestures to the pot on the drying rack next to the sink. "I also took the liberty of gathering some more horse grass and wild green root for you to try again. I made you some food, too. You'll need it by the look of you."

Otabek nods as he stumbles over to a chair and all but falls into it. His legs can barely hold him, but his shock is greater. "You...were that raven."

"I am that raven. Present tense. In this form, I am human, and I am a raven. As a raven, I am a bird and a human. Shifters are neither and both. Thank you for helping me, by the way. I know it cost more than I gave." The shifter places a mug full of steaming coffee and a plate with eggs, sausage, and toast in front of him.

The ache behind his eyes is distracting, but he catches the last words and frowns deeply. “And what exactly would something like you know about what magic costs a witch?”

The shifter stops with his hand hovering an inch away from the mug he’d just set in front of Otabek. It takes a solid half-minute for him to move again, and when he does, it’s a jerky movement. “Some _one_ like me knows more than you assume, witch.” The disdain in the shifter’s voice makes it clear that the value he placed on Otabek just plummeted.

The Kazakh feels his proverbial hackles rise. “You came to my home, seeking my help, received said help, and now you see fit to insult me?!”

“Vous êtes un foutu imbécile et vous méritez ce que vous avez.” The shifter snarls in French, throwing his arms up and storming across the room to lean against the edge of the sink, looking out into the woods through the large window.

Otabek is so taken aback by the shift in language that the tension in his body evaporates. He sputters for a moment before placing one of the words—and only one. “Did…did you just call me an idiot?”

The other man is shaking and he answers through gritted teeth. “I called you a fool.” He slams a palm on the edge of the counter and whirls to face the witch. “Un imbécile avec un pied dans sa bouche!”

“You realize I don’t speak French, right? As…imaginative…as your insults probably are, I don’t understand a word of them. Well, alright, one word.” Otabek takes a sip of the coffee in his mug and almost spits it back out in his surprise. It’s been prepared exactly the way he likes it.

The humor of the situation appears to be lost on the shifter. “I don’t enjoy being insulted by anyone, let alone the witch that I’m now _stuck with_! So, I’d really fucking appreciate some respect if I’m supposed to be your goddamned familiar, deal?!” The anger seems to leave the taller man’s body in a rush and he slumps against the counter, arms crossed in front of his chest defensively. “I’m not some fucking _thing_ , some _trinket_ , to be displayed or flaunted. I have my own mind, my own soul, my own damned _magic_ , and if I’m supposed to—”

“Wait, hold on.” Otabek places the mug back on the table and turns to stare at the other man as his brain catches up to the spoken words. “’Stuck with?’ What the hell does that mean? And familiar? What’s a familiar, and what’s any of that got to do with me?”

“Don’t fucking insult me more than you already have.”

“I’m not. What do you mean and what is a familiar?”

“Are you serious right now?” The shifter’s expression morphs from anger to bewilderment. “You’re a witch, you had to take your classes, right? Did you sleep through all of them?”

“What classes?” Otabek doesn’t think he can be more confused than he currently is.

“Oh my god, you’re serious. As if this situation could get any more fucked up.” He rubs his hands over his face and sighs deeply. “I’m going to need to sit down for this.”

Otabek watches as the shifter walks over to the table and takes a seat across from him. He’s never before been greeted with evidence of how poor (read: non-existent) his magical education was, but now it’s staring him in the face as a pair of steel-gray eyes lock onto him. He covers how uncomfortable he is by taking another sip of coffee and digging into the food as the other man composes himself.

“Let me ask you a few things, before I even attempt to unweave this oh-so-tangled web—and don’t you dare fucking quote Marmion at me—that you’ve created.” Those eyes seem to pierce into Otabek’s soul as the shifter thinks. The Kazakh has no idea what he’s referring to with the quoting, but he lets it go without comment. “First, have you ever had _any_ formal magical training whatsoever? Second, where are you from? If you were a local boy, your education would have been mandatory the second you came into your powers. Third, what the fuck is your name? I should at least know that before I drop the proverbial bomb.”

“None whatsoever. I was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan—”

“ _Fuck_.”

“—and had to flee here after the shit hit the fan. I worked with some people doing odd jobs for a couple of years before I found this bit of land. Built this cabin and I’ve never thought twice.” He wants to talk more about what happened at the same time he wants to leave the past behind and buried deep. It’s a strange feeling, but hiding has kept him safe so far, and he ends that train of thought as quickly as it starts. “My name’s Otabek. What about you?”

“I’m from a very magical family, so my education is top-notch. I’m originally from Toronto, but I’ve been traveling around ever since I completed school and was free to fly. I’m Jean-Jacques, but you can call me Jean or JJ.” JJ grins and extends a hand in a mockery of a greeting, which Otabek takes out of courtesy. The shifter shakes his head. “You being from Kazakhstan explains a hell of a lot. So, no magical training ever, gotcha. Want the short version or the long version of this train wreck your life has become?”

The witch has to categorize his emotions for a split second before he realizes that he’s honestly too exhausted to feel more than a basic level of surprise. “If my life is a train wreck, is there actually a short version?”

“No, not really.” It doesn’t take even a heartbeat for JJ to respond. He runs a hand through his black hair nervously, fingers settling on the shaved undercut. “At least, not since you have no knowledge of, well, anything, really.”

“Hey.”

“It’s true, shut up.”

“ _Hey!_ ”

“Sorry.” He shrugs. “But it’s true. Anyway, basically, you were an unbound witch and I was an unbound shifter. Unbound in this case means that you had no anchor for your magic, and I had no watcher.”

Otabek holds up a hand. “What’s a watcher?”

“Oh, sweet baby Jesus, give me strength.” JJ places his hand over his eyes and tips his head up. “Just…skip that for now. Look, this is going to be abrupt, but there's no way to be gentle about this. When an unbound witch shares magic with an unbound shifter, a bond between them forms. The backlash from the magic seals the bond. When you healed me and suffered the backlash, you bound me as your familiar—the anchor that grounds your magic—and I bound you as my watcher—basically someone whose magic protects me from harm."

“I trapped you.” Otabek states flatly.

Those gray eyes stare at him in shock. “The bond isn’t some sort of ball and chain, Otabek. It’s a gift given to us by Magic itself, to protect us. On my end, I protect you from the severity of whatever side effects your magic may have. This has varying degrees of success, mind you. On your end, you lend your magic to mine and are able to sense when I’m in trouble. Handy when I break a wing.”

He feels his chest tighten and the food he’s eaten turns into a solid weight in his stomach. Having his magic tied to someone else’s—he’s shaking when he stands suddenly enough to overturn the chair behind him. JJ looks startled from where he’s sitting and opens his mouth to say something, only to have it ignored as Otabek bolts from the room and bars himself in the bedroom. The witch drops to the floor and just stares at the open window opposite him.

He knows he’s reacted badly, but he can’t stop thinking about how his magic, or at least part of it, is no longer his own. He can’t help but think about practicing in secret in Almaty, before Mikel found him, before the boys he called friends turned on him. Before Ayana found him in the devastating aftermath, before she shoved him on a plane with a one-way ticket and a tearful farewell. The overwhelming rush of emotions settles in his skull and a sob tears its way out of his throat as he slumps against the door.

Otabek doesn’t know how long he’s been sitting there by the time a soft tap on the door gets his attention. He can’t summon enough energy to move from his position, so he just sits there and waits. Some instinct in the back of his mind tells him that if he waits long enough, the shifter that’s no doubt just on the other side of the door will say what he wishes to say.

Sure enough, less than a handful of minutes pass before the Kazakh hears a huff. “Otabek? I didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t know what did it, though, so I don’t know how to help.”

“Is it permanent?” His voice is harsh to even his own ears.

A sigh. “Not yet, but it will hurt us both to break the bond. I’d prefer to just…leave it and get to know each other? We’ll find out pretty quick if we won’t mesh well.”

Otabek mulls it over for a moment. Now that the flood of repressed emotions has subsided and he can actually _think_ , it doesn’t seem too bad an idea. “Okay. Just…can I be alone for a while? I need—”

“You don’t have to explain, it’s okay. I found some things that may be helpful for that gorgeous greenhouse of yours, so I’ll go gather them. Couple hours sound alright?”

“Yeah.” There’s a rustling outside his door, as if JJ has stood up. “JJ?”

“Mm?”

“Thank you.”


	2. Bonding Exercises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek comes to terms with having a familiar and the bond urges them forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um. So. This is almost 9k words...do not expect this length of chapter in the future, but...well, shit happens.
> 
> Inspired by [this](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/post/164513212892/) artwork by [macherpuppy](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://findyouranchorpoint.tumblr.com/)!

It takes Otabek several minutes after he hears JJ leave the cabin before he can stand up and proverbially dust himself off. When he does, he’s grateful that he didn’t follow his mindset down the rabbit hole of his past, and he’s grateful for the shifter’s acceptance of his need for space. He closes his eyes and centers himself before opening his bedroom door and stepping outside of his sanctuary. He knows he’s the only witch for a hundred miles in any direction, and he’s got work to catch up on.

Not that he’s really looking forward to the second attempt at the potion for Gladys, but he’s going to need even more coffee beans now that it’s not just him living in his cabin.

_That_ thought makes him stop halfway down the hallway. The witch takes a moment to contemplate if he’s really just going to accept a stranger, let alone one that’s now bound to his magic, into his life. For nine years, he’s been alone with just his plants, potions, and thoughts, and to have someone else enter into that solitude unexpectedly…

Otabek realizes that the concept is actually _nice_. He’d never really thought of himself as lonely before, but having even such a single conversation that wasn’t focused on business was nice, and, if he’s being frank with himself, a welcome relief. It’s almost enough to get the raw emotion buried deep in his soul rising to the surface. Almost. He shakes his head at himself and walks the rest of the way into the kitchen, expecting to have to clean his plate and mug from earlier.

Instead, the plate and mug are resting inside his dish drying rack, alongside the pot he’d been using for Gladys’ potion. He takes the latter and inspects it for any cracks that would make the ceramic unusable for anything. Satisfied that the enchantment on the pot did save it, like JJ suggested, he spins it in his hands as he walks over to his butcher-block working table. His other equipment for the potion is still set up, though the flame in the burner appears to have been out for a day or so, minimum. He wonders, not for the first time since waking, how long the backlash knocked him out for. It’s a thought he shoves away for the time being. Enough time for that while the potion simmers.

It’s a little reassuring that, while JJ cleaned the pot, everything else on his workspace is exactly where he left it. The only thing out of place is the medium-sized bottle of eucalyptus oil, which is standing on a small piece of paper with elegant handwriting on it. Otabek makes a small questioning noise in the back of his throat and moves the bottle so he can pick up the note.

_Witch, I apologize for any inconvenience my arrival may have caused to you and your materials. I know that by the time you read this, you will have probably met me and realized what happened that day. I took the liberty of cleaning your pot (is it still considered a cauldron, or is that ignorant to ask? My family called them pots so I don’t know the proper witchy term for it) and I replenished your supply of the oil you used for my wing. If I got the wrong type, forgive me. I asked Allison at the local store what it smelled like. She seemed to recognize it immediately, so I hope she was correct._

He stares at the flowing cursive for a moment before chuckling to himself. Allison was going to definitely heckle him the next time he went to town. The witch unscrews the lid of the bottle and is greeted by the heavy scent of eucalyptus and sighs happily as he recaps the bottle and places it in its place below his work surface. While he’s crouched with the cabinet doors open, he reaches for the bottle of hickory chips and red maple sap, both of which he needs for the potion. He also grabs a jug of distilled water and places all of them on the table once he stands.

From there, it’s easy to get back into the swing of things. He waves a hand and the fire in the burner stand ignites immediately, funneled into something useful by the metal surrounding the focal point. Otabek takes his measuring cups and carefully measures the basic ingredients he’d grabbed from below and dumps them unceremoniously into the ceramic pot before placing it on the stand above the flame. The motions of getting different plants from his satchels, measuring them out, and adding them to the liquid are soothingly familiar and he quickly loses time while he works.

Nothing brings him out of the process until he hears a flutter and light scrabble on the porch. He turns to face the door with a frown on his face until the handle turns and JJ comes into the cabin, brushing some stray feathers off his clothes. The shifter’s movement stalls when he sees that Otabek is working, but he just closes the door behind him and grins at the witch.

“I’m glad you’re working. Can you take a minute?” The shifter pulls the strap with his Mark and gestures towards the far door on the opposite side of the living room. Behind it is the greenhouse.

“Not yet, it’ll burn. Do you know what a witches’ butter looks like? I need one from my storeroom and I need to keep stirring.” Otabek carefully adds a bit of the crushed African violet stem from his mortar into the pot.

JJ gives him a perplexed look as he lets the Mark drop back against his hip. “Um. If I open your refrigerator, would I be wrong?”

He actually snorts at the question. “Definitely. Here, why don’t you stir— _slowly_ —while I retrieve it?”

The taller man nods and strides over to the worktable. “This looks gross as fuck, by the way.”

“Well, I wouldn’t recommend anyone drinking it right now.” Otabek passes handle of the spoon over to the shifter. “Don’t let it bubble, or it’ll ruin it.”

“Gotcha. Treat it like milk for cocoa.” JJ’s eyes are fixed on the pot, and he doesn’t see the Kazakh’s amused expression.

Otabek watches for a moment to make sure the other man is stirring properly before he goes through the door next to the refrigerator. He doesn’t bother looking for the light switch, instead casting a ball of dim witchlight to find what he’s looking for. Everything in the cabin is well-labeled, from his containers of meals to his ingredients to the plants in his greenhouse. One incident while he was very ill and slightly delusional from pneumonia was enough to start that habit his second year in the cabin. The witch shudders at the memory and reaches into the bin labeled “ _Tremella mesenterica_.” He grabs one of the small branches of red alder the fungus seems to prefer and takes his pocket knife to a portion of the yellow mass. Once done, he replaces the branch and seals the bin, then banishes the light and re-enters the kitchen.

“You may want to lower the heat, it’s starting to churn pretty good.” JJ’s voice has a tinge of worry to it that brings a small grin to Otabek’s lips as he stands next to the shifter.

“It’s fine, it’s supposed to boil after I add this.” He sets the fungus on the kitchen scale and trims a little from it to bring it to the proper weight before he puts it into the already-used mortar. The witches’ butter mixes easily with the rest of the crushed violet stems and he empties the dish into the pot. JJ passes the spoon to him and easily steps out of Otabek’s way.

“So, what’s the potion for?”

“Arthritis. Gladys gets a few vials every couple of months in exchange for coffee beans.” He watches the potion begin to boil and sets the timer next to the scale before taking the spoon out and setting it on the spoon rest. “It’s the same one I was working on yesterday.”

An odd look comes over the shifter’s face. “Yesterday?”

“Yeah. I was working on it when you knocked on my door.” He opens the fridge and takes out the water pitcher, pouring some in the mug he takes from the drying rack. “Thirsty?”

“Otabek, I knocked on your door _eight days ago_.” JJ shifts awkwardly when the witch struggles to not spit out his drink. “I woke up the next morning and you were crumpled on the floor next to the nest. That’s…that’s how I knew you weren’t bonded. I mean, I could sort of sense it when I crash-landed on your property, but I wasn’t sure. By day three, I went to town to see if there were any other witches that would know what to do…I’d never seen a backlash take someone down that hard before.”

The shorter man cleared his throat before trying to take another drink. Eight days was far from the longest time he’d spent out from his power, but it was still a shock. “I’m the only witch anywhere around. The only other one that I know of in this region is in Prince George, but last I heard, they moved down someplace warmer.”

“That explains why you don’t know shit.” JJ replies dryly.

Otabek fills his glass and glares at the shifter, who is grinning cheekily at him. JJ's grin doesn't even falter when he stalks back over to the worktable. The mixture in front of him sputters suddenly and they both jump at the sound. The witch bends slightly to look at the level of the flame and sighs. It's reduced in a heartbeat, but he can still feel the drain on his power. He feels so weak, and the amount of time he was out explains that a little.

The raven reaches across the space between them and places his hand on the back of the Kazakh's neck. There's a pulse of something that Otabek doesn't recognize, and then the weariness...fades. It's refreshing enough that he leans into the touch and sighs with relief.

"What did you do?"

"I'm your familiar now, Otabek. One of the things we familiars can do for our witches is take some of the load of the backlash, both before and after it happens." JJ shifts on his feet so his hip is cocked against the worktable, but his hand remains in place.

"Take some of the load? Wait, that means you're going to feel like shit too, doesn't it?"

"Mm, not really. A little more tired than before, but I'm sure nothing like what you felt." The taller man's thumb is rubbing against the buzzed hairs of Otabek's undercut until he gets the witch to meet his eyes. "How did you do that with the burner?"

"I...just did? Like everything else I do?" He's confused by the question and by the gesture against his neck.

"I mean, did you use your magic to do that? You didn't touch it."

"Yes?" JJ's expression is unreadable and it's making Otabek nervous.

"Oh. Okay then." The raven's smile changes into something the witch can only describe as glassy. Unreachable. Before he can say anything, though, JJ speaks again. "So, want to see what I found? It's good!"

He can recognize when someone changes a subject. He figures JJ will tell him whatever's on his mind if he wants. Until then? Otabek has bigger fish to fry, like the potion that's happily boiling away. "I need to keep an eye on this again in about ten minutes."

The shifter's demeanor changes again and he's practically bouncing on his heels. "So, you need any foxglove?"

The witch's eyes widen. "You found a wild foxglove? Around here?"

"Mhm! Come on, where do you want it?" JJ twirls his Mark in his hand like he had a few minutes prior, looking immensely pleased with himself.

"Well, where is it, first? We have to get it before I figure out where it goes." He does have a very nice bed waiting to be filled in his greenhouse, and the flowers would look amazing amongst all the other colors.

Okay, now he gets JJ's excitement.

The shifter rolls his eyes at him and dangles the Mark in front of Otabek's nose. "Seriously. Don't. Know. Shit."

"Maybe not, but I'm getting real tired of yours."

"Ooo, you can bite! I was starting to wonder if it was going to be all stoic glaring from you." JJ tosses the small bit of metal up in the air and catches it. "So, show me what space you have available and then I'll show you something cool."

Otabek heaves out a deep sigh and walks across the cabin from the workbench, opening the door on the right side of the fireplace. The second the humidity and warmth hit him, he knows the foxglove will be perfectly at home here.

The greenhouse is the largest part of his cabin by a good margin, easily the size of the main room and his bedroom combined. When he built the enclosure, he'd meant it to be big enough to last for a long while, but he'd filled it within a year. He expanded it significantly, but it's getting to the point where he's going to have to start planning another expansion. He steps into the greenhouse and out of the doorway so JJ can see it for the first time.

The shifter stops with a gasp when he enters, eyes darting from bed to bed, planter to planter, taking in the expanse in front of him. His mouth opens and closes a couple of times in an attempt to formulate a response to what he sees, but nothing comes.

"Over here." The witch walks past the succulents and takes the two steps down into the second level of beds. He spares a moment to caress one of the new African violets that he cultivated, and takes two more steps down into the third and central level. The chamomile that he intends to use as a ground cover outside is progressing nicely, and the meadowsweet in the bed next to it seems to be behaving itself. He passes a few more beds and crosses the length of the greenhouse to get back to the first ring of plants.

There in front of him is an empty bed that he'd been contemplating for weeks. His gladioli were not getting along with his hydrangeas and they had to be separated, creating an empty and uneven space. It is better than the war the two species had been waging for no reason other than sheer spite, but now that there may be a foxglove...Otabek turns around and gestures towards the bed.

"We can plant it here. The soil here goes all the way to the floor, so it should be deep enough for it to take root. So, what are you going to show me, oh knowledgeable one?" The Kazakh smirks at the shifter, whose jaw is still firmly on the ground.

"I--Otabek, this place is huge!" JJ exclaims, spinning around in a slow circle. "I saw it...walked in this door when you were unconscious, but it didn't look like this. And this wasn't glass outside, but it is now and we can see outside...people outside can't see in?"

"Exactly. I hadn't intended to actually do that, it happened by accident the first time. I figured out how I did it when I expanded, though. It was a pretty simple illusion spell that I imbued into the glass itself, it's just a matter of--JJ?"

JJ has the same expression from before on his face. "You--" The man shakes his head. "You're incredible. I grew up with seven witches and none of them could have done this. I just--I'm sorry."

That's a better attitude in Otabek's book, and he smiles. "I might not know shit about magical culture, but I know what I can do, and I know it can't be taught. As for not looking the way it did before...well. Wards prevent nosy people from seeing the true extent. Call me paranoid. Now, you're withholding a very valuable plant from its new home. Where is it?"

The muscles in the Canadian's face relax, and his cocksure grin comes back full force. "It's been here the whole time."

The raven strides over to the bed and expands his hand so his fingers are fully outstretched. He counts a couple of lengths and draws a line where he's measured before turning back to the witch. "I'm not digging a hole here. I just play fetch."

Otabek rolls his eyes and places his hand over the line. A green aura emanates from his hand and the soil parts until there's a deep hole the diameter of the marked line. "Well?"

"Thank you. Now, watch and learn and be amazed." JJ holds his Mark over the hole and the two men watch as the silver gleams like a star. When the light fades, a beautiful blue foxglove sits in the hole.

Otabek waves his hand so the relocated soil snugs up against the transplanted plant before arching an eyebrow at the shifter. "That's neat." He brushes a finger against the petals and watches as the plant seems to reach out towards him. It settles and he breathes out a sigh. It'll take, and hopefully be nice to its neighbors. "And very handy when you have to carry things and also have to shift. Can you do that with multiple things or just one?"

"It is, and I can transport multiple things with it, from multiple places. I can also mark as many as I like. I transport anything I think about, while everything else stays put." He ties the leather cord back onto the waistband of his trousers and lets the Mark dangle against his leg.

"How many can you transport?" They start making their way back to the main cabin. Otabek feels a pull on his magic and glances over his shoulder as a small cloud forms over the new plant and rain begins to fall. The drain of that automatically triggered spell hits him a moment later and he stumbles mid-stride.

The other man is holding him instantly, steadying him as they cross the threshold into the cabin. By the time they're at the workbench, Otabek is completely out of sorts. JJ shrugs as the witch sits. "I've done thirty in one go, but it was a mess. Five to ten get jumbled pretty good but make it pretty close to where I want them to be with minimal rearranging. Twenty's good for a move where you don't care where things go as long as they make it to their destination."

"Thirty was a mistake?" Otabek feels like he's going to be ill for a good minute before he feels the shifter's cool hand on his neck again. The feeling of nausea passes and he lets himself sag against JJ.

"Big time. Shit was everywhere! Took me longer to clean it up and replace anything that was destroyed than it would have to do it in two rounds." Gray eyes lock onto Otabek's own. "Hey, Otabek?"

"Yeah?" Long fingers start to stroke gently through his hair as he dumps strawberry leaves into the mortar and starts to grind them.

The fingers leave his hair and the mortar and pestle are removed from his hands. "Let me." JJ adjusts the position of the leaves and works them slowly, not moving from the witch's side. He speaks quietly. "You know it's not normal for a witch to be able to do more than one type of magic, right?"

Otabek jerks upright and pushes away from the shifter, who doesn't even look up. "No."

"Thought so. Some powerful witches can do two types, but those are rare and one of the two types is significantly weaker. It also drains on the witch as a whole and Magic will prioritize over time. By mid-teens, those witches lose their second type, or die from the strain. Three types hasn't been heard of since before the Sundering. More? Impossible." The raven sets the pestle down. "Or so I thought. Then I met you."

Otabek can feel his pulse start to race and tries not to panic. His magic swirls around him in response to his distress, tinging the air around him emerald. His voice is shaky when he responds. "And?"

"And..." JJ sighs. "You need to be careful. You're still recovering from a bad backlash, and you've used at least four different types of magic today alone. I'm able to help, but only to an extent. Also, this looks vile. Does it all go in?"

The witch blinks at the man slowly, the words sinking in. "Yes, gradually. It needs to be stirred until it's all mixed in and not clumped, then we can either let it simmer for an hour or it can be preserved to be completed later."

"It stinks."

"Yep."

"Ugh."

"The woman it goes to owns the coffee shop." Otabek states flatly.

JJ turns his whole torso towards the witch. "There's a coffee shop?"

"Yes."

"This is proof there is a God." JJ places his palms flat together as if in prayer.

"Yeah, and their name is Java. Jean," Otabek watches the shifter go back to stirring.

"It's not a big deal. Okay, it is, but it's okay. We need to talk about it, but not when you're still drained. Is that why you came out into the wilderness, by the way? Because you could do so much?"

"Partially. I was young and scared and figured if I couldn't figure out how to control it, at least out here I'd be the only casualty. Turns out I'm good at controlling it, but it's nice here. Quiet, peaceful, and all my own." He thinks for a moment and kills the flame underneath the pot. "Now, it's all our own."

The significance of that statement isn't lost on JJ, who shifts to bump against the witch and let him lean on him again. "You're going to have to help me, I'm a bit of a spoiled bird."

"You're a bird, of course you're spoiled." His voice sounds small even to himself, and he sighs when his familiar starts threading his fingers through his hair, long strokes settling the tension between them.

"True. You should meet my brother. He's a cockatiel." JJ snorts and helps Otabek to his feet. "You are going to bed. You need to rest so you're able to show off what you can do, okay? I want to know."

Otabek doesn't object. "You will. You're my familiar now."His familiar preens at the title and blushes brightly, ducking his head down as he guides the witch to the bedroom. "Me being your familiar doesn't mean I get a free pass to everything, Otabek. I just want to know so I know what to expect for a backlash."

The Kazakh sits on his bed and slumps with exhaustion, shaking as he bends to undo the laces of his boots. He can't seem to get his fingers to work properly, and when JJ drops to a knee to help, he's immensely grateful. The boots get set to the side with a soft thump and gentle hands rest upon his knees. JJ's voice is distant, but soothing.

"You pushed too hard, Otabek. You can't do this again." His shirt is tugged off and probably discarded somewhere where it won't be found until laundry day, and he's pushed until he falls against the mattress. He's of a sound enough mind to curl up on his bed without further prompting, but feeling JJ join him makes him try to sit.

"JJ?" He can feel himself shaking, this time not from exhaustion. The idea of sharing his bed with anyone is foreign, let alone with someone who is half-clothed. Otabek gives up on trying to sit up, though, too drained to use any muscles. He does tense at the soft brush of JJ's hand against his bare back, but when it doesn't feel aggressive or needing, he goes limp.

"The more contact the better." JJ pulls him against his own bare chest and wraps an arm around him, palm settling over his heart. There's a thrumming sensation between their bodies, a sense of support, and it makes the witch sigh contentedly. JJ presses his face to the back of Otabek's neck, and he can feel his familiar breathe deep, even breaths. "Just sleep, okay? You'll feel better sooner if you do."

Again, he doesn't object, and he slips into an easy slumber as the thrumming continues.

-

When Otabek wakes next, he's alone in the bed and the room is dark save for the soft light produced by the brazier in the corner. Like when he woke earlier, there is a satchel of herbs burning on top of it that is producing a calming aroma. He sighs and turns his face into the pillow, letting himself drift as his brain wakes up. There's a part of him that's awake enough to wonder where his familiar went, but that same part decides to wait until the rest of him's awake before he gets up to look.

The first thing he notices when his brain reboots is the sound of wind whipping around the cabin and rain pounding the windows. Otabek sits up and looks outside just in time to see a bright flash of lightning illuminate the sky. He subconsciously makes note of the distance as he starts to count. The roll of thunder confirms the assumption his magic had made, and he nods to himself.

A thought crosses his mind as he's pulling on a shirt. The witch pulls on his boots in a rush and he commits himself to finding the raven, because he sure as hell doesn't want his familiar to be flying in the storm. He checks the bathroom first, then moves to the living room and kitchen, turning on a lamp so he can see better. Nothing. As his pulse quickens with worry for JJ, there's a subtle sense of curiosity against his mind, and he suddenly knows exactly where the shifter is.

His relief that he won't have a missing familiar is palpable, and the rush of anxiety subsides quickly.

Otabek opens his front door. Just outside and to the left is JJ, long legs tucked under him on the porch couch. He turns his head when one of the witch's boots scuffs against the wood, and slides over to make room for Otabek.

"Hi." JJ says, turning his head back to the sky.

"Hi. How long's the storm been going?" Another flash lights up the sky and JJ's face.

"For a while, it had already started when I woke up a couple hours ago." Otabek's familiar shivers a little. "How do you feel?"

"Better. Are you cold?" Otabek doesn't notice the cold too much, but the wind is inconvenient for storm watching.

"A little, but I want to watch the rain, so it's okay."

The witch reaches over to take one of the raven's hands and hums when he feels how cold they are. He can feel that strange thrum from earlier, and it makes him feel a little less awkward about the action. "We can watch it from the greenhouse, if you want. It'll be warmer."

JJ nods and lets Otabek help him up and they both reenter the cabin. The taller man, instead of going straight to the greenhouse door, goes into the kitchen. "Do you have tea?"

"Yes, in the cupboard just to the left of the stove. No, the top one." The witch watches his familiar grab the tin of tea leaves and set it on the counter. "I'm going to get the fire going, storm feels like it'll go at least all night."

The shifter turns to give him a look. "You do weather magic, too?" His tone is amused, and he chuckles as he sets the kettle to boil.

Otabek kneels by the fireplace and begins to set up the logs. "Not really? If there's a storm, I know sort of what it will do. I know how far away lightning is, I know generally how bad the wind will be, and I know roughly how long it will last. This one will probably be the first in a long series of storms this fall, but I say that because I've lived here long enough to know that." The fire comes to life as he finishes talking.

"I love thunderstorms. Hate them when I'm in them, but when I'm not...it's like the raw power of the world around us, magical or non-magical, just showing off. It's really relaxing to watch." The shifter turns and watches Otabek walk into the kitchen.

The shorter man reaches in another cupboard for two mugs and sets them down. "I have milk and honey, if you'd like. Or jam."

JJ grabs the tin of tea and reads the label before answering. "Milk and honey for me, please."

"Mm. Honey's in the cupboard the tea was in." He gets the milk out of the fridge and sets it on the counter just as another flash of lightning strikes and the power immediately goes out. They look at each other, the light from the fire and the stove flame the only light in the cabin.

"That happened."

"It's okay, the generator will kick in shortly." Otabek flicks the stove off as the kettle starts to whistle. He conjures up a witchlight above their heads in order to prepare their tea. Their hands brush when JJ goes to move the mugs into a better position and Otabek can feel him tense. "Is that from the bond?"

JJ looks at him and gives a short nod. "Yeah. I think so, anyway. It's still forming and settling down, and bonds are supposed to do that better when more contact is made between a shifter and witch, but..." He blushes and trails off.

"But?" Otabek prompts as he puts tea bags into the mugs. He has to dig in his catch-all drawer for the timer, but he manages to pull it out without much difficulty.

"I've never had a bond before. I don't know how it feels other than what other people have said." The blush grows and JJ actually looks like he's ashamed.

"That's more than I've got. Can you feel me, by the way? I think I felt you earlier." He doesn't know how to categorize it, but the curiosity from minutes ago wasn't his own.

"A little. We should get better at it, but it's never going to be an open book. We're only going to be able to feel open thoughts. Ones on the surface."

_He looks cute when he blushes._ Otabek thinks as loudly as possible, and gets a muffled squeak from the shifter in response. Audibly, he asks, "Could you feel me when I woke up?"

"Uh. Y-yeah. You felt distressed."

"Didn't want you flying in the storm."

“Oh. No, that would have been bad." JJ gets a couple of spoons out of the drawer on the other side of the oven and passes one to the witch. "I'm smarter than that."

"I wasn't sure how long the storm had been going or how long you'd been out of bed. Storms around here can happen pretty quickly." He pulls the tea bags out of the mugs when the timer starts beeping, and pretends not to see JJ shamelessly pouring honey onto his spoon and eating it straight before putting the honey into the tea. They finish fixing their mugs in a comfortable silence and make their way into the greenhouse, witchlight hovering above and behind them to light their way.

Once they're inside and the door is closed, Otabek passes his mug to JJ and opens a cabinet that's hiding several large blankets and pillows. They float out and trail behind them like the light, before settling down in the central area of the greenhouse. Once they sit, JJ speaks first as Otabek vanishes the witchlight and plunges them into darkness.

"Thank you for being concerned." He sips his tea and looks up at the roof, watching the rain. A flash of lightning puts his face into sharp relief for a split second, and Otabek's heart skips a beat.

"You don't have to thank me. I want you safe, JJ." He accidentally made his tea too sweet and makes a face at the flavor.

JJ takes his mug and trades the two of them. "You'd be surprised how many witches don't care about what their familiars get up to. They just want them for the anchor. My brother was bonded to a witch like that before the bond was broken."

The different tea is much better, and Otabek smiles into the mug until the troubling words meet his ears. He shifts so his knee touches JJ's. "I don't care what you want to do. I'm not going to be ordering you around. I care that you're safe. If you're safe, I'm happy. If you're not, those who harm you will regret it."

JJ shivers hard enough that Otabek fears greatly for the fate of the tea. He exhales a shaky breath and closes his eyes before his hand migrates from the mug to Otabek's knee. "Thank you."

The Kazakh sets his tea outside of the border of blankets and has a moment of panic-- _what do I do? Is this okay? Do people do this? Wait, is this flirting?_ \--as he takes JJ's hand and brings it to his lips to kiss the elegant fingers. He has a moment of satisfaction at the sharp inhale JJ does before he's all but bowled over by the feeling of deep-seated embarrassment and something Otabek doesn't recognize. The fingers pull away and wrap around the Canadian's mug and Otabek gives him a quizzical look.

"Did I do something wrong?" He hopes not, but this is new territory for him. He has no idea what he's doing, and if he stepped over boundaries, he needs to know sooner rather than later.

His familiar shakes his head slowly. He looks at his fingers as if inspecting them for damage, then curls them around the mug again. "No, you didn't. I just don't know what you're trying to get from doing that."

Otabek tilts his head and contemplates that statement. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be trying to get." He just knows he wants to be closer to the shifter and he wants JJ to be safe. He says as much after a moment.

"Okay." JJ reaches back and puts his mug next to Otabek's. "I think both are a result of the bond. It's like our bodies telling us when we're hungry or when we crave something it's because we need some nutrient or something." He pulls off his shirt and discards it off to the side. "Skin to skin contact works best for helping the bond along."

The shorter man may have been living alone for a long while, but he knows an invitation when he hears one. He sheds his own shirt and from there, it's easy enough to place a hand on JJ's chest, over his heart. JJ mimics the move and Otabek can feel the Canadian's heartbeat speed up slightly. He smiles at JJ and brings his other hand up to caress his cheek.

The second touch makes his familiar whimper and lean into Otabek's hand, eyes closed and scrunched tight. The man's other hand grips his wrist and Otabek can't help but lean forward and touch their foreheads together. "Shifters feel the bond more than witches, don't they?" It's really the only explanation for how responsive JJ's been. A second whimper confirms his suspicions. "What do you need?"

"I need..." Grey eyes lock onto his own. "Otabek, I--"

"Jean, what do you need from me?" He rubs his thumb against the taller man's cheek and they breathe together for a few moments.

"Please kiss me." The request is desperate and expected, but it still makes Otabek shift uncomfortably. JJ seems to sense it and pulls back out of his grasp, looking hurt. "I'm sorry, you don't--"

"I've never...before." The witch explains. He's wanted to kiss people before, visitors to the town over the years, people who have come and gone, but his survival instincts screamed at him to never get close. Now that those instincts have been quieted--by the bond or by the comfort he feels in JJ's acceptance of his power, he's not sure--that want comes back. He just lacks experience in the practical application of it.

"Never?"

"Never. Anything." There's the definite tension between them that Otabek feels the need to warn against. He reaches his hands out closer to JJ. "I just don't know how."

His familiar leans back into the touch and both of them can feel the shudder work from the Canadian's ankles to his neck. When he opens his eyes again, his pupils are blown wide, gray irises a vibrant outline. "I'll teach you."

Otabek touches their foreheads together again, eyes closing so he can feel what the bond is telling him. It's mostly a jumble of emotions and sparks of sensation, but there's an underlying current of pure need. He's never been one to deny his body of its needs and it's easy to adjust his position until his lips brush against JJ's. The second he does, the bond ignites in his blood and he's pressing in harder with a groan.

Waves of power crest over both of them when JJ tips his head and licks his way into Otabek's mouth. The kiss deepens more until they're panting into each other's mouths, tongues honey-sweet and wanting. They have to separate to get a decent breath and Otabek quakes under his familiar's hands as the bond shrieks with dismay. He succumbs to what it wants and ducks his head to press kisses along JJ's neck, nipping gently when the raven moans.

Otabek moves a hand to the back of JJ's neck to hold him in place as he sucks a bruise into the juncture between neck and shoulder, kissing it when he's satisfied. He pulls away to examine his work and is stunned when he sees how unfocused the shifter's eyes are. "JJ?"

"Fuck." JJ exhales, trembling hard. He shifts slightly, drawing Otabek's attention down. He blushes brightly, but doesn't release his grip on the witch's shoulder. "Sorry, I just...felt good."

A flash of something crosses his familiar's expression just as lightning sparks across the sky above them. Otabek moves to give the shifter space. "Wasn't it supposed to?"

"Yes, but..." JJ bites his lip and his eyes flicker to raven-black for a moment. "I don't want you doing this just because of the bond."

"I'm not." He caresses his familiar's cheek again, but is disappointed when JJ doesn't lean into it. "The bond is part of it, yes. But I'm a young gay man who's been living by himself for almost a decade, and who also happens to have perfect eyesight and a libido. You happen to be very attractive, Jean, and you barely know me but still accepted the fact that I'm not a typical witch. You accepted the fact that a bond happened in the first place, and have already taken it upon yourself to take care of me when I push too hard. This may be about working with the bond, and it being a needy shit, but I can assure you that I do want this--want you--with or without that bond. Only if you want me for the same reasons, though. We barely know each other, I know." It's a struggle to speak, but he knows he needs to express this. "But I care for you, I really do, and I might be reading this all wrong but you seem to care for me, too. For fuck's sake, you stirred the single most pain in the ass potion just so I could sit down, and didn't even flinch at doing so."

JJ leans against him then, making a noise that sounds like a sob. He's still trembling, so Otabek pulls him into his lap and holds the taller man there until he can find the words. When he lifts his head to look at the witch, the irises are pitch black, startling the witch. Otabek realizes then that he knows those eyes, he just hasn't seen them on a human. The shifter kisses him gently, lips closed but no less soft than before. "I want you."

"You're sure? It's not the bond making you say yes?" He could get lost in those eyes, he realizes.

"Yes. For me."

"Thank God." Otabek dives in eagerly, kissing the man with every intention to take this thing between them as far as it will go this time. JJ gasps against him, and there's an odd sensation through the bond just as the man pulls back and shudders violently. A couple of feathers bloom from his shoulders and fall harmlessly to the ground. "Are you alright?"

JJ's eyes are still black, and he doesn't answer at first. Another shudder rolls through him before he sags against the witch. "It's hard..."

"I'd hope so." Otabek quirks, hoping to lighten the mood. He gets a smack on the shoulder for his trouble.

"I meant...sometimes extreme emotions and the like can trigger a shifter's fight or flight instinct. When that happens, we either get violent or we shift. I tend to shift because I can get the fuck away. So, it's hard to not shift right now." He ducks his head into Otabek's neck. "I'm also trying really hard to not accidentally hurt you."

"I can take it." The Kazakh says with confidence. "Do you need to stop?"

"Fuck no." He's still shaking when he kisses Otabek again, but then he makes an interesting noise in the back of his throat and shoves the witch onto the ground, straddling his thighs as he moves down to lick one of Otabek's nipples.

The shorter man threads fingers into JJ's hair, keeping him in place while he worship's his chest. Otabek's eyes roll back into his head when his familiar bites down at the same time he rolls his hips. He's not sure what to call the sound that comes out of him, but he's of a sound enough mind to notice when a hand cups him through his jeans. He also notices a few more feathers joining the ones already on the ground. "Jean, holy fuck!"

"You're fucking huge, oh my god. Please, let me see you." The shifter's voice is dark with barely restrained lust. He moves to let Otabek lift his hips more, and together they wrestle the jeans off until nothing is between his cock and JJ's searing gaze.

He blushes as his familiar stares at his naked form, cock so hard it's lying flat against his abdomen. He's about to say something, but JJ suddenly swallows him down in one swift motion and he cries out as lightning illuminates them both. The bond between them sings and sets every one of his nerves on fire as JJ sucks him hard and fast, tongue pressing in all of the right places. He goes to put a hand in his familiar's hair but aborts the movement at the last second, sitting up on his elbows for a better view. "Fuck, Jean, that's amazing, oh god."

JJ flicks his eyes up and Otabek falls flat again, unable to handle the view and the knowledge that all other blowjobs are going to be completely ruined for him. Not that he had anything to compare this one to, but he's pretty sure it would win anyway.

Then JJ takes him down his throat, nose brushing against Otabek's navel, and the witch loses the ability to form coherent thoughts. He lifts his head again and meets the shifter's eyes. JJ glances over at his hand and the witch takes it as a hint and places it on his familiar's head. The other man moans around his mouthful, vibrations making Otabek gasp and twitch against JJ's tongue.

"JJ, god!" His hand clenches around the shifter's hair and tugs, needing to feel him moan again. He does, more drawn out this time, and the witch can feel the bond swirl around them like a maelstrom. Otabek resists the siren song of the magic and focuses on his familiar, who is pulling off of him.

"Otabek, please, I need you." JJ's voice is barely a whisper as he sheds his own pants. He reaches to the side and pauses. "Wait, fuck!"

The Kazakh sits up on his elbows. "What's wrong?"

The shifter blushes. "Um, tell me you have lube."

He snorts and nods, making a gesture with his hand. The vial from his bedroom obediently appears in his hand and he passes it to JJ. The other man looks down at it and back up at Otabek. "What?"

"The fuck is this?"

"Lube."

"You sure about that?"

Otabek sighs and sits all the way up to kiss JJ, taking the vial back. He pops open the lid and pours some onto his familiar's cock. Admittedly, it is a little different than anything he's bought from stores, but the stuff in the vial lasts significantly longer and easily comes off of fabric. JJ hisses and grips Otabek's shoulder hard enough to bruise when the Kazakh wraps a hand around him to spread the liquid around. "I'm positive."

"Right, definitely lube, gotcha." The raven takes the vial and pours some on his own hand, spreading it over his fingers. "Just watch me."

Otabek honestly doesn't think he could look away if he wanted to. He's a little grateful for it because JJ reaches behind himself and the Kazakh can only guess as to what that looks like, because the shifter's head tips back and he pants through whatever sensation just as another flash of lightning lights up the greenhouse. The witch sits up further to reach behind him and follows the line of his arm until he can feel what JJ is doing to himself. He brushes against where two long fingers are entering the other man and the shifter shudders and tucks his head against Otabek's neck.

They both get swept up in the bond then, points of contact the only focus of their minds. The shorter of the two presses his lips against JJ's temple, adding another red-hot focal point. In return, JJ removes his fingers and rolls the two of them so they can press more of their bodies together. The shifter simply tucks his legs up before reaching down and picking up where he left off with a shaky breath.

Otabek kisses his familiar as he adds a slick finger of his own and is rewarded with JJ arching up against him with a low noise. He has an instant where he wonders if he's going to screw this up, but then JJ adjusts his hand and cries out into the kiss and all thoughts of inadequacy are shoved aside in favor of making him do that again. Besides, his mind supplies helpfully, he's a young man with internet access, he's practically watched tutorials for this very subject. Otabek feels JJ grin against him and knows he's thought that too loudly.

"It's really not that difficult." JJ states breathily as he removes his fingers and passes the vial to him. "Especially not with that. Just...go slow."

It's awkward to rub the lube over his cock while someone's watching, but JJ's gaze penetrates his soul and he can feel the affection pouring off of the shifter in waves. Otabek still has to steady himself with a shaky breath before he can line himself up and start to press in as slowly as he can manage. His familiar's tight heat envelops him and he feels like all the air is punched out of him.

JJ's hands come up to hold onto his hips and cling tightly enough that the witch knows he's going to have several bruises in the morning. The shifter throws his head back against a pillow, mouth open in a silent scream. Feathers bloom from his skin and shed harmlessly between them, a testament to JJ's fraying control. Otabek feels the fingers on his hips grip more tightly and stops moving so the other man can adjust. It takes a minute or so for the grip to loosen and his familiar to nod before he moves again. The process repeats until he's bottomed out, head hanging limply between his shoulders as the witch tries to remember how to breathe.

They stay like that for a little bit, until JJ squirms under him with a needy whine, drawing one leg over the small of Otabek's back and rolling his hips. "Please move, oh god, Otabek, please!"

Otabek's own control snaps when he starts thrusting slowly, mesmerized by the feeling of being inside another person. He can feel the heat of his magic join with the passion tied to the bond and he can't even think about controlling it, not with the noises his familiar is making at every movement. The bond snarls at him for not doing enough, and the witch tucks his arms under JJ's own, hands curling around his shoulders in order to anchor him in place. The shifter moves his other leg to lock around Otabek's hip and finally, finally, the bond snaps into place and ignites a fire in their veins.

It's all Otabek can do to thrust hard into the body beneath him, grip on reality slipping sideways as the bonding Magic ties itself to his own. It's a dizzying experience, and he mouths at JJ's neck to keep anchored in the moment. The taller man shakes uncontrollably as the witch takes him hard and fast, skin slapping against skin, filling the space with the sounds of sex. Their combined moans and gasps echo with the rumble of thunder and patter of rain, and Otabek is too far gone to even think about what his magic is doing.

He bites down on JJ's shoulder as tension builds in his stomach, trying to not lose himself and put both of them in danger. It has the added benefit of making his familiar scream as his entire body convulses, thick streams of white covering their stomachs. Otabek manages to keep fucking him through the orgasm, and his vision whites out just as JJ goes limp underneath him.

He groans when he comes back to himself, JJ's hand stroking his hair. Otabek blinks to clear the haziness and sees ashes around them. He pushes up onto elbows fast enough that his familiar hisses in pain. On the ground around them is a veritable sea of black feathers on top of a field of ash. He reaches over to feel the ash and realizes with a start that they're the remnants of the pillows and blankets. He looks down at his familiar, whose eyes have returned to a normal gray and are twinkling with amusement.

"Fuck, what happened?"

JJ grins up at him. "You came so hard you disintegrated the blankets. Very impressive and extremely flattering, if I do say so myself."

Otabek stares at him before he shakes his head and carefully pulls out of the man beneath him. When he's done, he lies down next to JJ and pulls him against his side. "I've never done that before...but I suppose I've never had any sex before, so..."

The shifter smiles against his chest. "First time for everything."

"And the feathers?" Otabek picks one up to look at it.

"I may have lost some of my own control." JJ sighs happily. "How do you feel now?"

He has to think about it for a while. The bond is a warm buzzing underneath his skin, still demanding contact but less needy. He brushes against it deliberately and delights in the shiver it causes in his familiar. "I feel good. You?"

"I feel safe." JJ turns his face against Otabek's chest as if embarrassed. "That was really fucking good."

The witch beams down at his familiar. "Probably would've been better in a bed."

The other man looks up at Otabek, grin plastered on his face. "Want to put that theory to the test?"

Otabek returns the grin and goes to stand, helping JJ stand as well. The Canadian bends over to pick up the vial of lube and they make their way to Otabek's bedroom, leaving the ashes and feathers behind.


	3. Excursions and Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek finally takes JJ to town for introductions and shopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Otabek.
> 
> NOTE: If you hover over any phrases that are not in English, the translation will be the hover text.
> 
> Inspired by [this](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/post/164513212892/) artwork by [macherpuppy](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://findyouranchorpoint.tumblr.com/)!

Otabek knocks his boots against the doorframe to get the compressed snow off of his boots before he steps into the coffee shop. He's greeted by warm hellos from several patrons as he takes a place in line. One of the women talking to the men at a table does a double take and a wide smile graces her delicate features. She excuses herself and crosses the distance between them and kisses his cheek in greeting.

"Mr. Altin, always good to see you! I see you have a new friend!" Gladys, an old but sprightly woman, exclaims. The raven on Otabek's shoulder croons softly and Gladys' smile grows wider. "Such a pretty bird!"

_Pretty bird. I like her._  The velvet tone of JJ's thoughts works its way into his mind.

"Thank you. His name is Jean-Jacques."  _Touch?_

_She called me pretty, Beks, what do you think?_

He barely manages not to snort and turns so JJ is closer to the woman. "You can touch him, if you like."

"Oh, thank you very much!" The silver-haired woman lifts a hand so JJ can see it and then strokes along his backbone. Otabek feels him start to preen. "When did you get this beauty?"

"He showed up at my place a few weeks back. Poor guy had broken a wing when he got caught on a bad wind. You may have actually seen him in his other form shortly afterwards. Apparently he went to Sylvia's store to see about some supplies." JJ trills when Gladys pets along his wing joint, fluttering his wings enough that she pulls her hand back. "Sorry, he's ticklish there."

The woman looks at the raven quizzically. "That tall young man who bumbled around talking asking for a witch? Why, that was him? Otabek, my dear, you have a familiar?!"

The word echoes in the small shop and there's suddenly at least ten people surrounding them, asking questions. JJ squawks nervously and Otabek has to put a little force behind his voice. "Please! One at a time, and give us some space. And Gladys, coffee, please?"

Gladys rounds on the rest of the patrons. "You heard Mr. Altin! Back it up! Go on, the lot of you! Shoo!" They quickly obey the source of their caffeine fix and go back to their business. To Otabek, she says, "Of course, dear. If you'd like some too, Jean-Jacques, you'll have to shift."

JJ shifts nervously on his witch's shoulder.  _You okay, JJ? You don't have to._  They'd discussed that back at his cabin. The raven shifts his weight back and forth on his feet and shakes his head. He nuzzles against Otabek's ear as Gladys walks away.

_Too many people._  JJ explains, sounding contrite as they take a seat at an open table.

The witch reaches into the pouch on his belt and offers his familiar a honey and nut treat they'd made together earlier. JJ gives him a look and he sets it on a napkin on the table, extending his arm so the raven can hop down to the surface and peck at the treat. Otabek pets him gently and takes in the atmosphere of the shop.

_It's very crowded today. We must have some tourists who were hoping to see the last bit of fall colors._ He doesn't recognize several people in the shop and tenses when he sees several of them in hunters garb.

JJ looks up.  _Oh no. Problem?_

_Not necessarily. Only if they come on my land._  Otabek has nothing against hunters who obey the laws and hunt on public property rather than on his land, which is clearly marked, but he's had experiences in the past that didn't go so well. His attention is diverted from that potential problem to coffee when Gladys returns. He practically starts salivating at the smell of good coffee.

"How are things at your cabin, Mr. Altin?" She inquires as she joins them. "Everything up to par?"

"Gladys, for the hundredth time, please call me Otabek." He knows she won't, but it's polite to offer.

"That would hardly be professional, Mr. Altin. And happy birthday, by the way.” JJ looks up from the treat and cocks his head at the woman. She brushes a finger against his chest feathers and arches an eyebrow at the witch.

"Thanks. Everything is fine, I promise. I'm just in town to pick up some provisions, assure everyone I didn't blow myself up--yet--and to drop off your potion." He sees Gladys flick her eyes to the raven and back to him as her eyebrow arches further. It takes a great deal of effort to not sigh. "He wanted to join me, I'm not intentionally showing him off. We've both been cooped up in that cabin with nothing to do since that first storm. The break in the weather was just a good opportunity."

"Nothing to do? Except each other?"

JJ makes an appalling noise at the same time Otabek has to make a Herculean effort to not choke on his coffee. Gladys, for her part, looks pleased with herself. "Gladys!!"

"Oh, please. I might not be a witch or a shifter, but I have friends who are. I know what tends to happen when a witch gets a familiar!" She grins deviously down at JJ, who is gaping at her, beak opened slightly. "Oh, Mr. Altin, I've been so worried about you ever since you first came to our little town! No familiar, doing God knows what magic in that cabin of yours! I always expected to someday stop hearing from you and find you dead in that cabin. Jean-Jacques, my dear, you have an old woman's eternal gratitude for saving our witch from himself."

_S-she can call me JJ._  Even his mental voice is at a higher octave.

Otabek sighs, and looks down at his familiar. "I should have warned you about her." Gladys looks smug as hell as he takes a less eventful sip of coffee. "You can call him JJ, provided you don't give him a heart attack."

"No promises. Standard barter price for the potion?"

The Kazakh almost nods before JJ pecks his arm. "Ow! JJ!" The raven just stares at him and Otabek sighs. "Gladys, I'm sorry, but I have to raise my price. It's a difficult potion, and with the storms--"

"About time you charged a fair price. That potion is worth at least double what you've been getting. Wondered how long it would take you to realize it. Stay here, I'll have Eddie help me with the bags." The woman stands and bustles off towards the young man working the roaster.

"Thank you." Otabek says to his familiar. They'd spoken about the potion's worth in the weeks since JJ's arrival, but Otabek always felt bad about charging the old woman more for an arthritis relief. JJ finishes his treat and flutters back up to the witch's shoulder. Moments later, Gladys comes back and the young man she'd commandeered sets down two large sacks of coffee beans.

"There. Potion?" Gladys takes it when offered. "Excellent, thank you very much, Mr. Altin. Do come back sooner this time?"

"Of course. I'm sorry for worrying you." He stands to give the woman a hug and tries not to feel a little homesick.

"You'd better be! Now, JJ, you are welcome here at any time. Do come say hello one day?" She pets his chest again as he croons an agreement.

Otabek picks up the two sacks and his coffee and leaves the shop before anyone swarms them again. Once outside, he carefully juggles the load so he can put the sacks into the backpack he's been wearing. JJ hops helpfully onto the ground until the rearranging is complete, then takes his position again.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

_It’s your birthday?_   JJ’s voice is incredulous.

“Yes.”

_And you didn’t say anything? Why?_

Otabek sighs. “It’s not a big deal. The last time I celebrated my birthday, I was in Kazakhstan and had just realized I could use magic. I was fucking terrified. By the next year, I was here in Canada, no home, no family.”

_Oh. I’m sorry._ JJ’s silent as the witch walks down the street, so much so that Otabek has to glance over to make sure he’s still there. _Where are we going now?_

The Kazakh is relieved that the shifter isn’t going to push the topic. "Sylvia's store. We need to get some more eggs and she's supposed to have a couple new oils now." The witch avoids an icy patch on the sidewalk and waves to a few people across the street.

_Don't we have those frozen egg things in the basement freezer?_

"We're down to four of them, and I want to get at least a carton of real ones for variety. Not that I don't love your omelets." Otabek pets his familiar.

_You'd better, I work hard to make those._  JJ jokes, squawking when a drop of water lands on his head from an awning. The shorter man takes a sideways step to get clear of any additional drips.

The general store parking lot is about half-full, and he braces himself for the inevitable onslaught as they cross to the entrance. It starts the second he walks through the doors.

"Hey, no animals! Oh, Mr. Altin, I'm sorry!" The black-haired teenage girl working the entrance looks contrite. "I didn't know it was you. Who is this?! Oh my god, do you have a familiar now?! Mom!!!! Oh god, it's so pretty!!"

_See, pretty bird. I like this place._  JJ is definitely smug.

_For now. These are the good people._  Otabek mentally rolls his eyes as the teen reaches up to pet the raven. Another dark-haired woman is walking towards them, this one with her hair in a long braid, black apron marking her as an employee. The witch nods to the woman. "Hello, Sylvia."

"Hello, Otabek. Allison, what did I say about calling me over while I'm working? While you're supposed to be working?" Sylvia is a short woman, barely five feet even, but her presence is intense. The girl balks under her mother's gaze.

"Sorry, Mom, but he got a familiar!" She hasn't stopped petting JJ, who's starting to look every bit the spoiled bird.

Sylvia looks at the raven, then back at her daughter. "Yes, dear. Did you ask for permission before petting it?"

Allison immediately snatches her hand back, blushing brightly. "I'm sorry. I should have asked."

The scene is officially too much for Otabek and he chuckles. "Don't worry, he doesn't mind in the slightest, I assure you. Sylvia, I believe you actually already met him a few weeks ago. Gladys described him as bumbling?"

_Hey!_

"Yes, we met. Glad to see he got everything sorted out. Now, Otabek, what are you looking for today?" Sylvia turns and meets the gazes of the people who have stopped to stare at the group. They all quickly go back to their business.

"I need some cartons of eggs and you mentioned a while back that you would be getting more oils in this week. It was on my calendar." He notices the sideways glances he and JJ are getting and prepares himself for some truly interesting comments.

"Ah, yes. They're in the usual place. Just come to my line when you're ready." Sylvia turns on her heel and strides back to her checkout lane, taking back over for the person who had covered for her.

"I am sorry, Mr. Altin. That was very rude of me." Allison states quietly. Her face is still very red.

JJ croons and Otabek places a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, but remember not to do that with just anyone, alright? JJ here likes attention, but that won't always be the case and I don't want you getting in trouble. How are your lessons?"

"Good. I get my diploma next month, and I got a scholarship for Vancouver, so I'll probably go there. Mom thinks I'll do better in a big city."

"I'm inclined to agree with her. Congratulations on the scholarship! I'll say goodbye before I leave." Otabek steps away after she nods and braces himself for the social activity involved in shopping. JJ hunches for balance as the witch's stride lengthens, and Otabek ignores the more curious probes into his mind that the raven makes.

It doesn't take long for the first idiot to open their mouth. He's standing in front of the egg cartons, discussing the merits of the few varieties available when some man speaks from behind him.

"What a disgusting animal." The tone is derisive and meant to get Otabek riled up.

JJ squawks at the man indignantly before Otabek can stop him. He sighs and turns around to face the speaker. "Why do you think he's disgusting?" He keeps a level tone but he's no less offended than his familiar.

The man, middle-aged and balding and more devoid of magic than a rock, snorts. "They're scavengers. Eat all sorts of foul things. Carry diseases and the likes, too! Don't know why Sylvia let you bring it in here."

_Diseases?! I'm fully vaccinated! Otabek!_

_Shush._  "He is not a scavenger and has all his vaccinations up to date. It is Sylvia's choice to let me bring him in, and as such it is beyond question." He knows this is not someone he will convince to change their way of thinking, but he also knows that everyone in town fears Sylvia's wrath. "Besides, he is a registered shifter and my bound familiar. Per British Columbia code, he is able to come with me any place I choose and in whichever form he chooses."

"Hmph. Just keep it on your shoulder, son." The man grabs his carton of eggs and disappears down an aisle.

_Asshole._  JJ snarls.

_Yes. There may be a couple more, so keep calm about it, okay? Most of the people who say anything aren't locals and we won't have to deal with them often._  Otabek picks up a carton of eggs--brown ones at JJ's request--and several of the egg liquid stuff. He puts it all in his basket and heads to the aisle with the oils.

There, he runs into another person he doesn't mind the presence of. The blond man is looking at the essential oils with a puzzled expression as Otabek comes up next to him. He startles and chuckles when he sees who came up beside him. "Mr. Altin, good to see you. New pet?"

Otabek can feel JJ's feathers begin to fluff angrily and pets him soothingly. "No, Doctor, he's my familiar. A shifter."

"Ah, yes, that does make my life less complicated. I was afraid I'd have to brush up on my birds for a moment there. Pleasure to meet you, I am Dr. Davis. Does he eat as a raven or a human or both?" The man adjusts his glasses and gets uncomfortably close.

Otabek reassures JJ mentally. "Both. Depends on the situation, mostly. Pardon me, Doctor, but could you please take a step back? He's not used to people being so close."

The doctor immediately does and sheepishly apologizes. "I'm so sorry, curiosity and all that. Do let me know if you two need anything, yes? I don't suspect you will, what with you being able to speak with him, but on the off chance..."

"Of course. JJ, he's the local veterinarian. Mostly equine and bovine, but his office also works with house pets." JJ bobs his head in acknowledgment as they move further down the aisle. Otabek doesn't remove his hand from his familiar. "Sorry about him. He's a good man, but he's good with animals, not people. Personal boundaries tend to not be his forte."

_His eyes looked huge under the glasses, it was weird. Beks, can we please speed this along? I'm not really comfortable here._ JJ's nervousness is coming across the bond and the witch nods.

"You could always shift. People wouldn't be as invasive if you were in your other form." He reaches out to get one of the new oils he'd been hoping to get. The bottle is smaller and more expensive than he was hoping, but it's fine. He goes to reach out for another bottle when he's thrown off balance by the weight leaving his shoulder. He glances back and sees worried gray eyes. "Hi."

"Hi." JJ's hands tuck into his pockets and he shifts his weight onto his far leg. It's the same pose he'll take when he wants to run. He glances around nervously.

"Better?" Otabek passes the oils to his familiar, who takes them without comment. He isn’t put off by his familiar’s strange attitude, knowing from conversations that JJ took time to adjust to new situations.

"We'll see." The Canadian looks at the labels on the bottles in his hand and makes a noise in his throat. "I thought you made your own peppermint oil."

"It's a supplement to that. The licorice oil is necessary for a new spell I'm trying. I'm a little surprised that Sylvia has any...it's not common." He adds another bottle to what JJ's holding for good measure, trying not to think about the cost.

"You could always order online."

"Yes, but it takes weeks to get here. Do we need anything else?" Otabek wants to leave as soon as possible for both their sakes. JJ's discomfort is unnerving, and when combined with his own, it's wearing on his patience.

"No." His familiar moves the bottles to one hand and uses his other to hold onto Otabek's free hand. "Sorry for being a nervous wreck."

The witch crowds into JJ's space and kisses him softly, uncaring about who may see them. They part after a moment and he steps away. "It's okay. Let's get out of here and head home, and then we can relax, okay?"

They head around the corner and take up a spot in Sylvia's short line, getting a couple of curious but passive looks as they do so. Otabek is looking at one of the newspaper headlines when he feels JJ go stiff as a board next to him. When he looks, there's a hand on his familiar's free arm. He's about to turn on the person who dared encroach upon the shifter's space when the man the hand belongs to starts to speak.

"Forgive me for startling you, kiddo. Just wanted to introduce myself to you, seeing as you're a bit of a newcomer. And a shifter at that." The dark-skinned man's hand releases JJ's arm and points down at the Mark on the Canadian's belt. "My own daughter's one of you. Great kid, but not suited for the life we like to lead out here. Lives with her aunt in Seattle now. How are you settling in? You need anything?"

JJ shifts nervously between his feet and looks over at Otabek. "Um. No?"

Otabek smiles at him. "It's okay if there is, you know. I know I'm not perfect. Mr. Fairbanks, this is Jean. He's recently my familiar. How is Eliza?"

"Nice to meet you, Jean. Please, call me Reggie. Mr. Fairbanks is too formal for everyone except for Gladys. You did swing by her place first, right? She'll be out on the warpath by now if you didn't." The man's features are stoic, but his tone is light and joking. "Eliza's fine. Less bored now, for sure."

"Of course I did. I'm not suicidal."

"Good. You truly don't need anything?" Reggie looks at JJ. "I do some handy work around these parts, mostly making some furniture pieces for those that need them."

"Well...um." JJ blushes an interesting shade before pointedly looking away from Otabek. "You know shifters, I suppose, and you know how we sometimes don't know our own strength. We, uh. Comment puis-je dire ça? C'est embarrassant. Uh."

"En français c'est bien." Reggie says smoothly. Otabek glares between them, not knowing more than a couple of words.

JJ, however, looks immensely relieved. "Ah! Je vous remercie! Nous avons besoin d'un nouveau cadre de lit."

Whatever JJ says, it makes Reggie blink at him a few times before bursting into laughter. He manages to speak some more French in between laughs, and JJ responds as he, too, starts to laugh. Reggie claps a hand on his shoulder just as Sylvia clears her throat to get their attention. The tan-skinned woman takes a look at their selections and sighs deeply.

"You always did have expensive tastes. For the eggs, the usual potion is fine. The price on the cartons went up, so throw in a satchel or two of the mix you made for Amelie, and that'll pay for that. The oils however..." She trails off and sighs again.

"Do you take cards?" JJ says by Otabek's elbow.

Sylvia looks at him. "Of course I do, but what does that have to do with--"

He holds up his Mark and a wallet appears in his hand. The shifter takes out a black card and passes it to her. "Put the oils on that."

Otabek's eyes widen when he sees the card. "JJ, you don't have to!"

"Shut up. Please, ma'am. It's the least I can do for him. He saved me, in so many ways. Please." JJ leans against the witch, clinging to his arm.

The woman's sharp brown eyes give the shifter a look that suggests she's impressed with the gesture. "Very well, but don't ever call me ma'am again. Otabek, I like this one." She scans in the three items and the total comes up on the screen, enough that the witch feels his eyes bulge. JJ doesn't even blink when he signs for it.

"Thank you, Sylvia." The raven says as he takes the bag she offers. He turns to Reggie, who looks amused at the entire exchange. "You said two days?"

"Yeah, probably not even that long. You can come into town for it or I can have some of my boys deliver it for you." He shrugs noncommittally.

"I'll meet you at Gladys' shop?" Otabek arches an eyebrow, unsure of what they've discussed. He really needs to brush up on his French.

Or, you know, learn it in the first place.

Reggie and JJ exchange farewells, and Otabek stays quiet until they're out of the market. Once on the street, he whirls around to face his familiar. "What was that?!"

The taller man grins at him. "That was me doing something nice for you. Helps having a rich bitch around sometimes."

"Y-you're rich?" That's not something he'd expected, not given what he knows about the shifter.

"Yep. Filthy rich. Like, could afford a second home rich. It mostly just sits in the bank though. No need to live extravagantly when I have wings." He loops his arm in Otabek's and they trudge through the shallow snow together. "My parents both came from money and were only children so...I guess they invested well. I don't really know."

Otabek gapes at him. "But..." He shakes his head. "Are you happy?"

"With what?" The shifter shivers when the breeze whips around the two of them and presses tighter against the Kazakh.

"Living in the middle of nowhere with a recluse?" He feels so guilty about their situation now. For someone with means to be in such an isolated situation...

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm happy! Do you have any idea how shitty living with my family was? Don't get me wrong, I love them to death, but they drive me nuts. Everyone expected me to be perfect all the time, to be able to handle working with all the younger siblings and learn from the older and just...it was exhausting." JJ beams at Otabek. "You just expect me to not get in the way of your work and make halfway edible meals sometimes. That's it. It's such a relief."

"You're sure?"

The mischievous twinkle is back in his familiar's eyes. "Oh yeah. If you didn't have the internet, then it'd be a complete deal-breaker, though."

Otabek laughs at that, worries assuaged. "Good thing I pay for that, then." He's pushed against one of the buildings they're passing and is kissed firmly. It's not meant to arouse--though that does come with the territory--but to reassure. He accepts it and sighs when they break apart. JJ looks flushed from more than the cold wind, and the Kazakh pulls him back in for another. This time, the shifter looks dazed and stumbles when he backs away.

"Oh, you are so picking that back up when we get home." The witch says breathlessly as he peels himself off of the building and takes JJ's hand.

JJ brings the hand up to his lips, a gesture the two of them have made their own. "Most definitely."


	4. Realizations and Retributions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peace and quiet rarely lasts forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE
> 
> Thank you for waiting for so long! I'm almost done with grad school, only 4 more months to go!
> 
> Inspired by [this](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/post/164513212892/) artwork by [macherpuppy](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://findyouranchorpoint.tumblr.com/)!

The snow has started to fall again by the time they reach the cabin again, much to JJ’s dismay. He’s exhausted from the social interactions and just leans against Otabek as he drives the snowmobile away from the small town. He nuzzles his witch’s neck and is content with letting the bond hum between them during the ride. By the time they make it home, he’s only half-awake.

“Jean, you okay?” His witch asks as they make the way up the steps to the cabin. The Kazakh cups his cheek when they get onto the porch and looks at him carefully.

JJ leans into it and sighs. “Just glad to be home.”

“Mm.” Otabek opens the door and the wards glow before vanishing after they cross the threshold. “Can I help with your boots?”

“Please?” He’s too tired to do much more than flop down on the couch at this point, bending over to undo his winter boots is out of the question. JJ meets Otabek’s eyes again and feels a surge of affection through their bond. “I love you, you know that?”

The witch  _beams_  at him before leaning forward to kiss him gently, fingers cool on his neck. “I love you, too. Always will.” Otabek kisses him again and kneels before him to help with the boots. “You can hold onto my shoulder.”

“Thank you, Beka.” JJ lifts his leg and braces on the shorter man’s shoulder for balance. It wouldn’t be so hard if he had his wings, but he wouldn’t be wearing boots in his other form. The image makes him chuckle and, at Otabek’s inquiring glance, sends it through the bond.

“You’re ridiculous, and I’m going to order some raven-sized galoshes for that.” His brown eyes glow with amusement as the first boot submits to his will and falls to the floor with a low  _thump_. The witch places a kiss to JJ’s bent knee before turning his attention to the second boot.

“Please don’t, I need my talons.” He shifts his weight to make it easier for Otabek and groans when the witch caresses the whole leg, starting at his inner thigh and working down to his boot. “Not fair.”

The dark-eyes witch freezes. “Do you want me to not do that?”

“I don’t want you to do that when I might fall over.” JJ moves his free hand to Otabek’s cheek. “Once I’m on both feet again, you can try again?”

“Okay.” He turns his head and kisses the palm of JJ’s hand, then goes back to untying the laces. Once that boot falls to the floor, Otabek moves his hands up JJ’s legs until they’re resting on the belt of his pants. “Can I take these off?”

“Yes.” The shifter responds without hesitation.

“Can I suck you off, too?”

JJ knows Otabek wouldn’t ask unless he wasn’t sure that JJ would be up to it, so he actually considers the question. He’s tired, but not physically. Mentally, getting a blowjob might be just what the doctor ordered. He smiles down at his witch. “Yes.”

“Thank you.” Otabek licks his lips as he flicks open the belt and drags JJ’s jeans and underwear down. He groans when he sees the shifter’s semi-hard cock, leaning forward to drag his lips down the length of it. “I love feeling you get hard for me.”

JJ whines and moves a hand to rest on the witch’s head. “Not like it’s difficult.”

“No. Not with you.” Otabek smiles against his skin, breath making JJ shiver with anticipation. He glances down at the witch just in time to watch him take his dick in his mouth.

“Fuck, Beka...” He has to tilt his head back and focus on breathing as his witch toys with him, the pleasure Otabek feels coming through the bond and already starting to reverberate with his own. JJ gasps when Otabek’s tongue flicks against the slit, teasing him further. “Otabek, ah, please don’t tease.”

The shifter can feel Otabek’s smirk as the Kazakh takes him deeper, enough to make his throat spasm around JJ’s cock before the reflex is suppressed. His head falls back against the door and he fights to keep his control tethered.

Otabek pulls back suddenly, laughing. JJ looks down and sees the witch pull a feather off the top of his head. “Am I just that good?”

“Yes.” He can’t even be embarrassed, he’s so turned on. He threads his fingers through Otabek’s hair and smiles down. “But at least I don’t incinerate blankets.”

“That was one time,” the witch counters before picking up where he left off. He smiles around his mouthful when JJ’s fingers tighten in his hair.

“It was—ah, fuck, like that—twice.” Otabek presses his tongue under the head of his cock again and the shifter cries out, feathers shedding as his control frays. He feels the bond shift between them and grins as he gasps out Otabek’s name. “Trying to get in my head?”

“Mm.” The witch pulls off with a wet pop. “Can I finger you while I do this?”

JJ’s cock twitches and he nods enthusiastically. “Not against the door, though.”

“Couch?” Otabek asks, standing and taking JJ’s hand.

“Floor, I fully intend to get thoroughly fucked after, and I don’t want to kill the couch.” He kicks his pants off and pulls his lover around the couch, near the fireplace.

Otabek brings JJ’s hand up to his lips and places a reverent kiss on his knuckles. “Good plan, I like this couch. Want a blanket down?”

The shifter shrugs and drags the throw blanket off the couch and spreads it on the floor. “There. Please don’t destroy this one.”

“No promises.” The Kazakh helps him lay down and they spend a few minutes just kissing and ridding themselves of their clothes. JJ sighs into Otabek’s mouth and arches against him.

“Beka...” He practically purrs when his witch works his way down his body, kissing various bruises or scars as he does. He feels like he’s being worshipped, and sends that feeling through the bond.

Contrary to JJ’s expectation, Otabek actually doubles down on the affection, putting more effort into his movements, until his lips begin to kiss up the length of the shifter’s cock. “Feel good?”

“Please don’t stop...” He whines, hips canting up as Otabek licks him reverently. He feels love coming through the bond, but it’s heavily tinged with unbridled lust, which makes him shiver. “Beka!”

In the same moment that the witch sucks him down, he feels the familiar warmth of Otabek’s fingers digging into his thighs and hitching them over his shoulders. Otabek must’ve already summoned the lube from the bedroom, because his fingers are slick as they caress his entrance.

“Ah! Remember, oh god, your mouth, Beka!” JJ closes his eyes and relaxes under the Kazakh’s ministrations, trying to form words. “Remember to go slow, still sore from yesterday.”

Otabek’s fingers stop moving and his head lifts so he can make eye contact. “Do you not want me to—“

“No! I mean, yes, I mean—“ JJ groans in frustration, covering his face. He’s too wound up to get his brain working. “I want you to finger me so you can be in me. Please. Just go slow.”

“I will.” Otabek places kisses on the insides of his thighs and resumes his worship of his familiar’s cock. Once JJ starts arching into it, the Kazakh hitches his legs higher and rubs his fingers against his entrance again.

“Mmn, that feels good.” The shifter moves his hands to grasp Otabek’s hair again, grip dragging an appreciative groan from his witch. It makes pleasure roll down JJ’s spine and he doesn’t bother keeping control anymore.

Hell, having it in the first place was an illusion anyway, he thinks.

Otabek meets his eyes, brown irises taking on gold and green flecks as he loses his own control. The flecks disappear when JJ’s hips twitch up of their own accord, forcing the witch to pull back so he can breathe. “Ow.”

“Sorry, sorry! I just...can’t help it.”

“You’re good for a guy’s ego, Jean.” Otabek kisses his Adonis lines and smiles up at him. “Mind not choking me this time, though?”

The shifter smirks and shrugs. “No guarantees. Think of it as a challenge.”

“Oh?” The shorter man arches an eyebrow. “If only it were actually challenging.” He proves his point by taking JJ’s cock back down his throat, gag reflex suppressed with seemingly no difficulty. JJ’s head thunks onto the floor as he moans loudly. He’s grateful, not for the first time, that Otabek lives in the middle of nowhere.

His volume would definitely be the talk of the complex if they were in Toronto.

He can feel Otabek’s presence in his mind and welcomes him in with open arms, letting him feel everything. It’s the first time he’s done so while they’ve had sex, but why bother hiding anything? He knows he’s going to stay with the witch until his dying day, and keeping secrets is not exactly the best relationship advice. JJ whines when Otabek pulls off of him.

“Beka, wha—” He’s silenced when the other man kisses him, groaning when he can taste himself.

“You mean it?” Otabek asks when he pulls back. His eyes are softer than normal, filled with love.

It takes him a moment to realize he was actually transmitting his thoughts, but he smiles at the witch when he does. “Of course I do. I fucking love you, you’d have to turn me to dust to get rid of me.”

“I’ll reserve that for the blankets.” The Kazakh touches their foreheads together and they just breathe for a moment, the bond between them humming gently. “I love you. I always will. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it as many more times as I can.”

“Even when I’m annoying?” JJ asks with a laugh.

“You’re never annoying, Jean.” Otabek kisses him again, lips warm. “Frustrating sometimes, but never annoying. But yes, even when you frustrate me. _Especially_ when you frustrate me.”

He wraps Otabek in an embrace, holding him close. The witch tips his head to nuzzle against his neck and JJ can feel him smile. It’s a peaceful moment, physically and in the bond. When Otabek pushes back up onto his elbows, the expression is one torn between love and lust and make JJ’s heart skip a beat. There’s an unspoken question hidden there and the shifter nods at his witch and relaxes back into the blanket.

“You’ll always make me happy when you let me in.” The Kazakh moves back to his prior position and licks JJ. “It shows how much you trust me, and that means everything to me.”

“Ah, yeah, that’s—nn!” Otabek take him easily again, tongue pressing against the underside as he sucks the shifter. JJ can feel his body shake and is grateful that his witch pins him down. “Trust is needed. I—ah—I know you don’t know, but..” He trails off as his eyes roll up into his head at the pleasure.

Otabek arches an eyebrow but doesn’t stop in his ministrations. Instead, he sends a thought through the bond. _What do I not know this time?_

JJ shakes his head. _Not now, I—_

 _Please?_ Otabek sends that in the same moment JJ’s cock hits the back of his throat. The shifter groans and places his hands on the witch’s head.

 _Trust is essential to us familiars. The bond won’t take if trust isn’t there. If I didn’t trust you, the bond would shatter._ He looks down at the other man and clears his throat. Otabek had paused, a spark of pain lancing through the bond. He needs to speak for this. “I don’t trust you because I have to, Beka. I trust you because you _earned it_. The second you spoke to me, you had it. I trust you, I _love_ you, because you’ve _earned_ that.”

The Kazakh’s side of the bond settles again and he makes a noise around JJ’s dick. He projects thoughts, feelings, everything to his familiar, and JJ has all coherent thought ripped from his mind in the wake of the abstract pleasure rather than what the other man is physically doing to him. _I think I fell in love with you when you let me have my space. When you helped me when I was still shaky. When your face lit up during the storm._ There’s a hesitance in everything that makes JJ crave more and simultaneously want to rip his hair out. _When you let me be yours._

The conviction in that single thought collides with the small portion of his brain that’s still functioning, and the world disappears in a blaze of white. JJ feels his body arch, hears his scream echo off the cabin walls. He comes down softly, flinching when Otabek swallows around him.

“Fuck.” JJ pants, eyes unable to focus on anything. A flicker of light catches his attention and he turns his head to look at the fireplace. “Um, Beka…” He taps the witch’s head and lifts his chin to direct Otabek’s attention over to the side as well, snickering.

Otabek looks over at the now roaring fire and then down at JJ. “Well, that’s new.”

JJ snorts and starts laughing harder, hugging his witch to him. They spend several minutes just laughing together before the shifter composes himself. “At least nothing got disintegrated this time?”

“Hm, that’s true.” He leans down to kiss JJ again, who sighs into it.

“Careful, keep that up and you’ll be in for round two.”

“That’s the intention.” Otabek counters, playing with some of the feathers that JJ shed.

“An excellent idea, I knew I liked you for a reason.” He knocks a feather away. “Stop that, you’re tickling me.”

“Sorry. Can I keep these?”

The shifter shrugs, arching under Otabek. “Sure, but you’ll have to pay.”

The Kazakh grins and kisses him again. “I think I can—“

They both jump when a gunshot echoes around them, far too close for the size of Otabek’s property. JJ hisses as the witch drops his legs too fast, on his feet to peer out the window.

“That’s on property, isn’t it?” He props himself up on his elbows. It’s hunting season, so hearing gunshots isn’t unusual, but they’ve never been so close. JJ looks closely at the witch, and the air around Otabek is starting to take on a green tinge. “Beka?”

“Get dressed. We have a problem.”

JJ quickly scrambles for his clothes, wincing when his back objects to how much it had worked. “What happens if they killed something on your land?” He asks as he pulls his pants on.

“I—I don’t know. No one’s tried before.” The witch sighs and pulls on his own clothes. “I guess I have to hope the magic of the land accepts the kill back.”

“I’m here, it’ll be okay.” The shifter places his hand on Otabek’s shoulder after pulling on his shirt. Otabek nods and straightens up as JJ becomes a mass of feathers and settles on his shoulder, talons digging into the pad there for balance.

“Let’s go. Stay shifted.” Otabek throws open the door and the wards snap into place when they leave the cabin. He takes off at a run and JJ has to squawk in objection to the jostling.

He spreads his wings and flaps hard a couple of times until he’s airborne and soaring above the trees. The raven feels the exasperation through the bond, but everything else is knocked aside by the scene he finds in a clearing. There, no more than a quarter mile from the cabin, are three hunters standing over a downed stag and field dressing the poor thing.

JJ shifts midair, dropping the final three feet to the ground and snarling viciously at the hunters. “Trespassers! You dare hunt on a witch’s land?!” Otabek bursts into the clearing in that moment and visibly pales at the scene in front of him.

“Құдайым-ай.” The language isn’t one JJ recognizes, but it must be the witch’s native tongue. Brown eyes narrow as they dart from the massacred stag to the hunters. “Do you know the law? It states that no hunting is ever permitted on land owned by a witch, unless you have explicit permission.”

The tallest of the hunters snorts and shrugs, bloodied hand making a dismissive gesture. “Of course we know the law. Doesn’t apply if you don’t have signs or some magical bullshit marking your land.” He looks over at his companions. “Witches are all the same, thinking they own all of the land in the world.”

JJ doesn’t feel himself draw his Mark, but there’s the familiar weight of his war scythe suddenly in his hand as he points it at the hunter. He registers Otabek’s surprise through the bond, but focuses on the hunters. “The magical border is in place, and has been for a decade. You made the conscious decision to trespass and kill on this land, and you will face your due punishment as retribution for such a heinous crime.”

The hunters raise their guns in defense, keeping their fingers well away from the triggers. Another hunter speaks, this one apparently a woman under the bulk of her gear. “Put the weapon down, shifter. We’ve done no wrong.”

Otabek steps easily between them, hand on the shaft of the scythe. “That’s where you’re wrong. You did trespass, and will suffer the penalty for that regardless. I am willing to forgive the hunt, if Magic accepts it back.”

The witch turns away from the hunters and walks a path around the stag and the parts that were removed as part of the field dressing. JJ feels his stomach turn and grits his teeth to keep his focus on the three people in front of him. He catches the flare of green fire out of the corner of his eye, then hears Otabek sigh.

“Very well. The law is the law, and I am forced by your own actions to adhere to it. JJ, lower your Mark.”

The shifter glares at the hunters and allows the weapon to take its original form, dangling harmlessly from his belt once more. The second he settles, an aura forms around the hunters, but dissipates a breath later. The three of them look confused.

“What did you do to us?” The first hunter asks angrily.

“Effectively took away your ability to hunt. Animals of all kinds will flee before you put your sights on them. Even fish will evade your lures. You brought this upon yourselves, now you get to live with the consequences.” They open their mouths to complain, but the witch makes a gesture with both hands and they vanish with startled yelps.

JJ continues to glare at that spot until Otabek sighs deeply. He turns towards his witch, but before he can ask if he’s alright, he sees the true extent of the kill. JJ’s stomach immediately rebels and he has to turn away and retch into the snow. He’s bent for several minutes before he feels Otabek’s hand rubbing his back.

“Jean, are you okay?”

JJ shakes his head as he straightens up. “I get hunting for food, I really do, but this? This is bullshit.” He glances back over at the stag and shakes his head again. “Beka, that’s not how any hunter worth their salt dresses a deer. That’s how psychopaths play with their kills.”

“You’re angrier than I am.” Otabek states, removing his hand from his familiar. “Why?”

“Because...” JJ pauses. Why  _is_  he so angry? He frowns and looks down at his feet. “I...I don’t know.” It hits him then. “Oh my god. It’s because of the bond.”

The witch’s eyebrows rise in surprise, then he chuckles once, low and bitter. “You would kill someone because you feel my anger on top of your own?”

“Yes.” He answers with no hesitation. “Otabek, I’d kill someone for you in less than a heartbeat if they pissed you off, because you are notoriously hard to get angry. If you’re angry, there’s a good reason for it.”

“That’s terrifying, I hope you know that.” The Kazakh shakes his head. “Let’s go home, Jean.”

“What about...that?”

“ _That_  will be taken care of by the scavengers and will return to the Earth in time. I’ll come back out in a few days to cleanse the area, and I think that’ll be the end of it.” Otabek pats his shoulder. “Come on, my dear bird, feathers or frostbite?” 

JJ rolls his eyes and shifts into his other form, allowing the witch to pick him up and place him on the pad. He sighs deeply and nuzzles his beak against Otabek’s head. He hoped, just like his witch, that that would be the end of the ordeal.

-

“Babe? Where the fuck are you?” JJ asks as he steps out of the bathroom, hair finally dry after a liberal application with the blow dryer. “Beka? Hm.”

He stretches and walks through the house casually, checking the rooms for his lover. It’s been a calm few days, and he recently got an email from Reggie about the new bed frame being ready. He wants to go to town, but he doesn’t want to leave without Otabek knowing where he went. JJ snags an apple from the counter near the door and holds it between his teeth as he stomps into his boots. The shifter doesn’t bother tying them, just stuffing the laces into the boots, and grabs his jacket before opening the door to step onto the porch.

“Beks? You out here?” He asks after taking a bite out of the apple.

“Down here!” Otabek’s voice chimes from the ground below.

JJ grins and hurries down the stairs to find the witch tinkering with his snowmobile. “Hi. What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing much, just needed some TLC. Come here?” His witch smiles when he closes the distance and stands up to kiss him hello. “Mm, remind me to get more apples?”

“About that, actually, I’m going into town...Reggie finished the frame and I want to go pick it up—or, rather, Mark it and stuff—so I could swing by Sylvia’s and snag some groceries while I’m there.” JJ kisses Otabek again, then takes another bite of the apple. “Seeing as I’m eating all the fruit!”

The Kazakh laughs and shakes his head. “You’re really not. Want me to come with?”

“No, I’ll be okay now that I know the people in town. I’ll even bring back coffee.”

“I really love you, Jean.”

“I love you too, but I might tell Gladys if you keep making me feel like you love her coffee more than you love me!” He laughs into the kiss Otabek retorts with. “Alright, alright, you love me more. Now, stop that and let me go or I’ll have to shower again!”

Otabek grins and takes a small step back. “Okay. Be safe?”

The concern in the question makes JJ’s heart melt a little and he leans down to kiss the witch one more time. “Always. Love you!”

Otabek holds out his hand and takes the apple from the shifter and watches with a fond gaze as JJ takes his other form and takes off into the sky. The shifter squawks a farewell and begins his flight eastward.

-

JJ has a smile plastered to his face as he walks through the back end of town, just exploring the back roads on his meandering route towards the promise of excellent coffee. He hears some indistinct shouting behind him that’s mostly lost in the brisk wind that’s picked up in the past half hour, but thinks nothing of it. The students in the small school are out for their lunch break, so the noise isn’t surprising.

The hard hit to the back of his head is, however, and he goes down hard. JJ groans in pain, hand coming up to cup where he was hit. At first, he thinks it’s a snowball made with too much icy snow, but the three figures towering over him bring reality crashing down around him. The hunters from earlier in the week are glaring at him with the most malice JJ’s seen any human hold, and he realizes that this is not going to end well if he stays put.

As always, his first instinct is to shift to get away, fight or flight instincts in overdrive. He feels the caress of his own magic, feathers bursting from his skin before his bones start to shift. Then, before he can even complete the transformation, another hit to his arm, hard enough that a sickening crack fills the air and a wave of nausea washes over him. Pain is a familiar presence for a shifter, but this is different.

The hunter that had mouthed off to Otabek speaks while JJ writhes in pain, both from the broken elbow and the aborted shift. “Let’s see how well your witch deals with this, shall we?”

JJ gasps for air when a foot slams into his chest, breaking his ribs more easily than he’d thought possible. He chokes out words, trying to form a sentence as shock wars with adrenaline in his system. “Bond...too powerful...law, please!”

“Aww, look, it can still speak.” The second hunter, the one who’d been silent before, says before crouching down and dealing two brutal punches to JJ’s face.

The shifter tries to shift again, despite his broken body, but only gets a hard kick to the gut for his trouble. He realizes that this may be where he dies, where the bond severs and draws Otabek down with him, and grits his teeth to reach for the Mark. If he dies like this, Otabek does as well, his magic releasing forcefully into the world around them.

His hand touches the Mark a split moment before the third hunter’s foot connects with his temple and his world goes dark.

_Beka, I’m sorry._

 


	5. Newton's Third Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience! Grad school and moving were kicking my ass there for a while, but I've been slowly working on this chapter for you guys!
> 
> Special shoutout to [DarkOtabek](http://darkotabek.tumblr.com/) for their support and well-wishes!
> 
> Inspired by [this](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/post/164513212892/) artwork by [macherpuppy](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr!
> 
> [LordZuuko](http://lordzuuko.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr did some [AMAZING artwork](http://lordzuuko.tumblr.com/post/175454154703) for this fic, and there's more coming ;)
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://findyouranchorpoint.tumblr.com/)!

Otabek feels the bond twinge and sits up from his snowmobile to pay attention. A twinge isn’t something he’s unused to, not after JJ running into a tree, tripping over a discarded blanket on the way to the bathroom, and a minor mishap with the stove. It feels different somehow, though. He closes his eyes to focus solely on that link to his familiar.

They immediately snap back open when the bond screams with pain, rage, and desperation. His feet take him to one of the sigils buried in the ground beneath the snow and grass before he actually thinks about teleporting anywhere. The green fire immediately flares around him and takes him to his familiar.

It takes him half a second to take in the scene before him. The hunters that had trespassed on his land are standing over a crumpled JJ, shed feathers stained red with his familiar’s blood. He realizes that the feathers mean the shifter had tried to get away and was prevented from doing so because of the amount of pain he’d experienced.

 _“Extreme emotions and the like can trigger a shifter’s fight or flight instinct. When that happens, we either get violent or we shift. I tend to shift because I can get the fuck away.”_ JJ had said at one point.

Otabek thinks of what happened after the raven had said that and feels the bond shiver with how weak it is after such trauma. He feels the rage at the attack boil within him as Magic roars to life and carried him through what he needs to do. There’s a threat to his familiar, one that obviously will not accept no for an answer.

One that hadn’t accepted no for an answer.

The law is on his side, the protections for a bound familiar clearly outlined. He doesn’t think about the law, though, as he steps forward with green flames billowing out from his core. The hunters notice him then, expressions shifting from something akin to a sick glee to anger to a terrified recognition. One of them steps towards him and opens his mouth.

Obliterating him takes a fraction of a breath as his magic flares. He doesn’t even blink before the other two follow suit. There’s nothing left of them, not even ash, as Otabek kneels in the snow next to his familiar. He places a hand on the back of JJ’s neck and pours what he can into the shifter’s broken body. The raven takes a deeper breath as the sickening sound of bones sliding back into place and knitting together fills the air around them. Grey eyes flutter open and lock onto his own as darkness floods Otabek’s vision.

JJ’s lips form his name just as Otabek collapses next to him, backlash slamming into him with no anchor and washing him away into the void.

-

When JJ comes to a second time, he is warm, dry, in a significant amount of pain, and can’t see for whatever it is that is covering his eyes. He tries to sit up and yelps when his arm gives out and he falls back onto the mattress. He hears the door open and turns toward the sound. “Beka?”

“Not Otabek, my dear.” A soft but aged voice states as the mattress sinks next to him.

“Gladys.” The covering around his eyes shifts and he realizes they’re bandages. The woman’s cool hands remove the wrappings as gently as possible, but he still flinches when she brushes a sore part of his head.

“Stop moving.” Gladys’ tone leaves no room for argument and JJ obeys without hesitation. He’s vaguely aware that Otabek healed him, but it doesn’t seem to have worked the way the witch probably intended.

“Otabek?” JJ gasps out through the pain as Gladys tosses the soiled cloth out of the way. He can feel static where Otabek’s side of the bond should be and it’s concerning. “Is he—“

“He’s unconscious. Has been since last week.” The woman’s tone is cold.

The shifter closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Gladys, are you mad at me?”

“You?” The shock in her tone makes him open his eyes. She looks at him with something between amusement and scorn. “My dear, I’m not mad at you. I’m upset with myself and absolutely furious with those people that did this. As soon as they popped into town, I should have understood why and told them they were no longer welcome.”

“Gladys—“

“I’m not done.” The woman sighs and removes the bandage that’s sitting heavily on JJ’s neck, fixing him with a look when he flinches again. “Regardless, they should have just accepted what was done and left anyway. The only people who are at fault here are the people that did this.”

JJ hisses as she cleans a wound that had not sealed with Otabek’s magic. He stays silent so she can work and only speaks again when she’s done. “What happened to them?” He inquires quietly.

“They no longer exist.”

“Oh.” JJ bites his lip as Gladys fixes him with a knowing look.

“Is that it?”

“Yes.” He answers honestly. There’s no fear in his mind about his witch’s power, no doubt of Otabek’s goal. “I don’t know the extent of what he can do, but it’s not going to stop me from loving him with every fiber of my being.”

The old woman finally smiles at him, soft and loving. “Well, you have a few fibers less than usual right now. His magic seems to be working on you still, but I think it’s prioritizing where it’s healing. You were pretty bad off when Reginald and the boys brought you and Otabek in.”

JJ takes a moment to assess the different pains his body’s trying to make him aware of and goes limp against the mattress. “Everything still hurts.”

Gladys is quiet for a long few moments. “You and Otabek were destined for each other, I swear. I just told you his magic was still healing you. Of course you’re in pain. Now, you’re going to get some more rest and relax. If Otabek comes to, you’ll be the first to know.” She taps the relatively painless side of his head and grins.

The simple gesture is enough to make him realize that the last time he felt the static in his mind was when Otabek had been hit with the backlash of his magic after healing him the day they’d met. That memory brings another revelation to life. He looks around him for his phone and sees it on one of the bedside tables. JJ almost reaches for it but knows Gladys will yell at him.

“Could you hand me my phone?” He asks instead.

“Of course. Reginald was a dear and brought it and a few necessities from the cabin for you two.” She passes it to him, and he notes that it’s still mostly charged. “Make your calls, dear, and let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thank you.” The shifter watches the woman leave and quickly calls one of the contacts saved to his phone. It’s answered after two rings.

“Hello?”

He tries to hold back the tears when he hears the familiar voice, but his own cracks. “Hi Mom.”

-

Gladys is serving JJ breakfast a couple days later when his phone buzzes with a new notification. His mother had suggested that he put his questions online for other witches and familiars to see and perhaps answer, and the notification is one of many he’d been getting. He picks up the phone and reads the reply, choking halfway through a sip of coffee. His question had been relatively simple: has anyone heard of a witch who can use multiple types of magic without dying from it. The overwhelming majority of replies had been the same answer; regardless if the person answering was a familiar or a witch, no one had heard about such a witch. This reply is different.

_“Hello there! What you’re describing is very unusual, and the last known witch to possess more than one domain of power was a Czar of Russia in the early 19th century. The situation you describe may be a result of a power throwback, that is, someone who comes from an area so devoid of magic that the excess power in that geographical location sought out a conduit in order to remove the power from the land. If you were magically educated, you know what happens when too much power stays in the land for too long. It’s not pretty! It makes me wonder where your witch is from. Don’t worry, you won’t have to answer that! Hope this helps, but if you want more information, please send me a DM! (^♡^)”_

“Well, that certainly makes sense for our dear Otabek!” Gladys says from over his shoulder.

“Hm.” JJ grunts. He bites his lip and sends a query through the bond, only to get static in return.

“JJ?”

“I’m going to contact this person. If nothing else, he seems to know more magical history than I do, and it might help.” The woman opens her mouth to speak and JJ continues, cutting her off. “I’m not going to tell them anything about Beka, but I want to pick their brain for what they know.”

She fixes him with a look. “Now, Jean, you need to be careful. Who knows what would happen if the Kazakhstan government were to find out about him. Make up a fake name for him at the very least, please.”

“Easily done. I promise I’ll be careful.” He was already typing out a message to the other user.

“I know you will.” She kisses the top of his head and ruffles his hair affectionately. “Eat your food before it gets cold.”

“Yes ma’am.” He takes a bite of his eggs and smiles up at her before continuing to type.

“Hey there, thanks for the reply. My witch is in a bit of a pickle at the moment. I was recently attacked and couldn’t anchor him when he served a dish of retribution. It’s been a little over a week and I’m starting to get worried—“

-

JJ gets a response at some ungodly hour and hisses when the motion to reach his phone pulls on his still-mending ribs. 

_“It’s odd that your witch’s magic isn’t anchored by the bond. It doesn’t matter if you’re conscious or not, it should be dispersed all the same. You did say he was able to use several different types of magic, but I wonder if you know just how many types. I know you don’t want to reveal too much about yourselves, so feel free to be vague.”_

He needs to not be waiting 16 hours for a reply and hastily types a new message.

“I’m sick of typing. My Skype is KingBird97 and you can contact me there.” He hits the send button and brings up Skype immediately, just in case the person he’s talking to gets his message at a reasonable hour. Sure enough, a new message pops up requesting to add him as a contact. He snorts when he’s called seconds after the request is accepted.

“Hello? Can you hear me?” The voice on the other side has a thick Russian accent. JJ has to refrain from snarling and ending the call there, but he notes the location of the individual is somewhere in Japan. It’s enough to get him talking.

“Uh, yeah, hi. Hope you don’t mind me keeping the camera off.”

“No, no, that’s fine! I know you wanted to keep things private. I’m Viktor, by the way! It’s my real name but you don’t have to give me yours.” The camera on Viktor’s end comes on, and the heart in his emojis makes sense. JJ can’t help but smile back despite his camera being off.

“Thanks, there are just obvious circumstances we want to avoid. As far as your question, my witch knows at least five different types of magic. He mostly works as a greenwitch, though he can heal to a greater extent than they can. He can control fire, he uses sigils, and he has a mild type of weather magic. I think he has a form of wild magic, too, but we’ve never confirmed that. He has no magical education to speak of, so he knows what he can do and I put names to it.”

There’s a long pause as Viktor considers the answer. His face is more serious now, the heart-shaped smile gone. “That’s a lot. I can’t say for certain if he will be able to sustain the most for an extended period. Could you tell me if he’s new or if he’s experienced?”

“Experienced. He has had significant practice with his magic.”

“Did he present early or on schedule?”

“Typical age for his ethnicity.” He thinks, anyway. The countries around Kazakhstan aren’t so backwards and are the basis for his answer.

“Interesting. Does he use the different types every day?”

“Usually most of them. He doesn’t use his healing every day but I’m a klutz.”

Viktor laughs. “My familiar’s similar. Graceful when he wants to be, otherwise always getting a new bandage or a visit to our friends.” He shrugs, looking off to his left, where JJ can see a closed door. “Well, if your witch hasn’t burnt out by now, he won’t. I wouldn’t worry about the backlash, he probably needs a deeper anchor in order to prevent it. The bond between you likely saved him from a much worse fate. Say, would you mind telling me how it happened?”

JJ bites his lip and makes a stupid choice, turning on the camera. His bruised and torn countenance jumps to a small corner of his screen as Viktor’s expression changes rapidly from vaguely amused to horrified to furious.

“What happened?” The Russian’s tone is cold.

“He banished people from his land when they slaughtered a deer without permission.” JJ snarls viciously.

The fury in Viktor’s face deepens. “And they took it out on you.”

“Yeah. Be—my witch showed up before they killed me. He obliterated them.”

“God, are you going to be okay? Do you need healer contacts? I have some on every continent.” Viktor’s inquiry is genuine.

JJ gives a rueful grin. “I’m still healing, thanks to my witch’s magic.”

“That explains why he’s been out. He’s still being drained by what he’s put into you. Let yourself heal and he’ll come out of it easily.”

That’s not something the shifter had learned before. “Truly?”

Viktor nods, smile returning. “Yes. Remember that the bond ties you closely to him. Does it feel like static?”

“Yeah.”

“Then yes, he’s just burned out. Heal and give him time.”

JJ has to close his eyes and lay back against his pillows as the relief washes over him. “Thank God.” He goes to rub his face, but it pulls his ribs again and he curls in on himself. Unlike when Otabek is consciously taking his pain away, this lasts for what feels like hours, and he’s gasping for breath by the end of the wave.

“---ey! Hey!” Viktor’s voice is muffled from the phone getting buried by a displaced comforter. It takes what energy JJ has left to flip the edge of the comforter up and grab the phone. “Oh thank God, I was so worried! You went white as a ghost, are you okay?”

“Ow.” He can feel his witch’s magic warm his ribs and whines when the static of the bond increases in volume. “I have four broken ribs.”

“Four? That’s lucky considering.”

“It was nine.” He carefully moves his arm to wipe the tears from his face. “Look, Viktor, I need to go, but thank you. You really helped me out.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? I really can give you a list of healers if you need one.” The silver-haired man’s tone suggests that it would be a smart choice, which makes JJ __definitely__  doesn’t want to do it. Remarkably, Viktor’s expression changes. “No, of course you don’t want that. The bond between you and your witch is too fragile for another to come in. Forgive the suggestion.”

“Nothing to forgive.” He grits his teeth against another wave of pain. “Thank you again. Goodbye, Viktor.”

“Goodbye.”


	6. History Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MENTIONS OF ABUSE, GROOMING, AND SUICIDE. THESE MENTIONS ARE NOT IN GRAPHIC DETAIL AND ARE UNRELATED TO THE CHARACTERS TALKING ABOUT THEM. PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
> 
> So life has decided to kick me in the butt, again. I recently moved to a different city, and have been getting my feet back under me during that transition. Fortunately, I have a job and nice roommates and a place for my fluffball of a cat, so it's all good. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Special shoutout to [DarkOtabek](http://darkotabek.tumblr.com/) for their support and well-wishes!
> 
> Inspired by [this](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/post/164513212892/) artwork by [macherpuppy](http://macherpuppy.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr!
> 
> [LordZuuko](http://lordzuuko.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr did some [AMAZING artwork](http://lordzuuko.tumblr.com/post/175454154703) for this fic.
> 
> [Crimson Chains](http://crimson-chains.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr did some [art](http://findyouranchorpoint.tumblr.com/post/177858985982/got-a-wonderful-commissioned-piece-from) for this fic as well, featuring a certain someone we haven't met yet!
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://findyouranchorpoint.tumblr.com/)!

In the end, it takes Otabek three weeks to regain consciousness. JJ is helping Reginald in his workshop when he feels the bond spring back to life with vehemence and drops the plank of wood he’d been holding. Two woodworkers shout in surprise, but Reginald cuts them off with a curt gesture, noting the shocked expression on the shifter’s face. The black man places a hand on JJ’s shoulder, startling him out of the shock.

“Jean, are you alright?” He asks.

“I--” He takes a breath and lets it out slowly. “Beka’s awake. I have to go.”

Reginald nods. “Go, then. Take it slow, that leg’s not quite right yet!”

JJ ignores the command and takes off at a run, ignoring the ache in his right thigh. He runs until his lungs burn, until he bursts through the door to Gladys’ home, until he’s by his witch’s side. When he finally stops, he’s leaning heavily against the door frame, eyes locking onto Otabek’s as he breathes hard. His voice is a whisper when he says the Kazakh’s name.

Otabek, for his part, is out of the bed and in JJ’s space before the shifter can blink. He caresses his familiar’s face, eyes searching JJ’s for something. Whatever he finds settles the flecks of green in his irises back into brown, and the moment passes. “Jean.”

“Otabek.”

The tension between them snaps as the witch surges forward and kisses JJ with the fervor of a starved man. JJ sags against the wood at his back and moans into Otabek’s mouth as the bond ignites into a firestorm that threatens to consume them both. He can feel himself sinking into that sensation when the clearing of a throat startles the two of them apart. JJ clutches Otabek’s shirt but can’t tear his eyes away from the vision in front of him. The witch, however, doesn’t seem to be as afflicted.

“Gladys, hello. Thank you for your help, now please leave. I have plans for my familiar.” His words are cold, but his tone remains warm.

The old woman snorts. “As much as I’m sure you’d like to fuck your familiar, you wouldn’t get two thrusts in before fainting of hunger.”

JJ’s eyes bulge at the words coming from her mouth and can feel himself turning a bright red. He covers his face with his hands. “Oh my god.”

Otabek snarls, but the noise is all but drowned out by the growl emitting from his stomach. His expression abruptly shifts to a rueful grin. “It seems you’re right, as usual. I take it you have food?”

Gladys laughs and shakes her head. “Come on, silly boy. Let’s get you fed and caught up on the past few weeks.”

“ _ _Weeks__?!”

-

Otabek looks down at his laptop while JJ dozes next to him, dark circles under his eyes softening with every moment of sleep he’s able to get. The witch has been reading the conversations between JJ and the other witch he mentioned during the talk he’d had with him and Gladys. He was relieved that his familiar took precautions about their whereabouts and names, though he finds that he wouldn’t mind if this ‘Viktor’ guy knew who they were. He bites his lip and switches over to Skype, adding Viktor as a contact after cross-referencing the screenshots JJ had sent him. He then adds a message to the contact request, stating who he is.

Surprisingly enough, the friend request is accepted almost immediately and a call comes in, causing Otabek to quickly reach over to snag his earbuds to plug in so he doesn’t disturb the shifter at his side. Unlike JJ, he answers with the camera on.

“Wow, hello there!” A silver-haired gentleman whistles and smiles. “You must be Raven’s witch.”

“Yes. He showed me the conversations he’s had with you. I’d like to thank you for your assistance while I was recovering. It was reassuring for my familiar, and he needed the reassurance.” He knows he’s coming off cold, but he’s only had a handful of discussions with other witches before, and those typically involved trading ingredients instead of anything else.

JJ stirs from beside him, nuzzling his head against Otabek’s arm. “Mmm, who’re you talking to?”

“Viktor. Go back to sleep darling.” Otabek leans down to kiss JJ’s head, but the raven is already asleep again.

Viktor looks at the camera with a dopey grin on his face. “You know, I’d suspected that the two of you had a more intimate bond that he’d suggested, but you just confirmed that guess!”

“Is that a problem?” Otabek snarls.

“No, no! It’s quite common! I’m married to my own familiar, in fact.” He holds up his right hand and shows off a gold wedding band. “Raven just didn’t speak much about anything outside of what he needed to know.”

“His name is JJ. I’m Otabek.”

“Oh! JJ didn’t want me knowing your names.”

Otabek shrugs. “If you really wanted to find us, you could have already traced the IP address. You don’t seem the type to tread where he’s not invited.”

Another man pokes his head into view of Viktor’s webcam. “Oh no, he’s the type to do exactly that.”

“Yuuri!!!” Viktor exclaims, pained expression coming over his face. “You’re so mean to me!”

The Kazakh can’t help but chuckle. “I see that familiars heckling their witches is in the job description and it’s not just me.”

“So it seems.” The Russian states dryly. “So, did you add me to introduce yourself or did you have specific questions? JJ mentioned that you have had no formal education about your powers.”

Otabek looks down at his familiar and pets JJ’s hair lightly. “How much can I trust you?”

“That’s up to you. You’ve read the conversations I’ve had with your familiar.”

“Yes. You left Russia because of the persecution familiars faced?”

“And the mistreatment of any bound familiar. Shifters in Russia are viewed as a currency, not as the individuals they are. They’re bought and sold and shuffled off to the highest bidder as soon as they come of age. Witches, horrible, corrupt witches, are put into power in the highest positions of the government and they need shifters to anchor their powers.” Viktor’s voice is full of disgust, and Yuuri’s hand settles on his shoulder in comfort. “Most shifters are…. _ _evaluated__ ….as children and carefully groomed into whatever brainwashed thing they want them to be. They grow and are sold when they’re in their late teens. Some don’t make it that far, abused and broken long before they can be of any service to those that abuse them. Others choose another way out.”

“They kill themselves, Beka.” JJ says quietly from his prone position. Otabek startles at the unexpected contribution to the conversation and scowls.

“I’ve seen the statistics of witch and shifter survival rates. Russia ranks amongst the highest.” He knows from the looks on Viktor and Yuuri’s faces that the numbers were forged.

“In reality, shifters in Russia have the highest suicide rate out of any country. Russia’s had to, in recent years, resort to reducing the wages of common citizens to make the price of selling themselves into slavery more appealing. Many do it to save their loved ones from starvation. This is, of course, covered up extremely carefully.” Viktor reaches up and holds Yuuri’s hand tightly. “When I finally travelled to Japan, I saw what a country that cared for their shifters looked like.”

Yuuri shrugged. “It’s not nearly as intense as any in the British Commonwealth, but we have protections against abuse here. Our witches also keep us safe, just like you kept JJ safe. It’s not written in our laws but it might as well be.”

“I--I didn’t know it was that bad anywhere else.” He bites his lip to cut himself off from saying any more.

JJ sits up and leans his head against Otabek’s shoulder, nuzzling against him. “It’s okay, babe. We’re safe.” To Viktor and Yuuri, the shifter states, “We need to get some more rest, but thank you for talking to my idiot witch. Yuuri, nice to see you again.”

“You too, JJ. Please be careful out there.” Yuuri leans forward and the call disconnects.

Otabek flops backwards onto the pillows. The rush of emotion he’d felt during the conversation makes him feel woozy until his familiar snuggles against him. “Are there other places that bad?” He asks quietly.

The raven’s silent for a few moments and they listen to the wind beat against the windows of Gladys’ home. When JJ speaks, it’s barely a whisper. “There are some countries that aren’t so great for people with magic. Some of the countries were bad for a long time because they’d been colonized and the tribal magic all but snuffed out, but now those are some of the best for witches and their familiars. Kazakhstan’s still the only country that punishes magic with death, but others have come close. Any of the countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union can be assumed to be not so great but that’s not exactly the rule. Ukraine’s not so bad, but that’s because a lot of witches teamed up to reclaim the area around Chernobyl after the Soviet Union collapsed. Mostly the Council keeps countries in line through trade agreements and the like. With the economic boom in Kazakhstan and Russia covering things up left and right, those two countries don’t hold with Council law.”

“What’s the Council?”

“The Council of Witch and Human Trade. Sort of the United Nations for witches, but it’s integrated, so there are humans on the other side of things that are part of the Council.” JJ shrugs. “It’s not as important if you stay in the Commonwealth, as the Queen’s Law is obeyed everywhere. You’ve seen the protections it offers you as a witch and me as a shifter and familiar.”

“I have.” He kisses JJ on the cheek, rubbing a thumb against his jaw. “I’m sorry I brought their wrath down on you.”

The raven shakes his head. “You weren’t the one who held a war scythe in their general direction.”

“Yeah, about that.” Otabek watches JJ yawn and gets caught in the trick of following suit. “We’ll need to chat about that later.”

“Sleep first. Then food. Then sex.” The witch can feel his familiar grin against his chest. “Then you can ask about my Mark.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“Love you too, my witch.”


End file.
